


It Was Always You

by serohtonin



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 17:19:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7582996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serohtonin/pseuds/serohtonin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"First, you'll see their eyes,"</i> or so the legend tells. That's how one finds out who their soulmate is. Chris has never put too much stock on that, not even when a pair of hazel eyes stare back at him in the middle of a grocery store and he sees much more than he ever imagined. Soulmate AU. Title taken from the Maroon 5 song of the same name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Was Always You

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the [Crisscolfer Big Bang 2016](http://crisscolferbigbang.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. I actually started this two years ago and I'm so glad I finally finished it, thanks to my beta [klaineunite.](http://klaineunite.tumblr.com/) There is art for the fic[ here](http://somethingdarrenish.tumblr.com/post/147959135566/it-was-always-you-a-crisccolfer-big-bang-fic) by [thenthereisyou](http://thenthereisyou.tumblr.com/). She also made the art for my playlist, which is [here.](http://somethingdarrenish.tumblr.com/post/147959145011/it-was-always-you-the-playlist-music) Hope you enjoy everything!
> 
> Disclaimer: This is completely AU. I own none of the people mentioned, except for the original characters and this plot is entirely all mine. It is fiction and I don't claim any of it to be the truth.

Chris is twenty-three when he wakes up in a cold sweat, recalling hazel eyes and a warm feeling in his belly that radiated throughout his whole body. Confusion courses through him as he lies in bed; he’s never even met anyone with hazel eyes, but he has always had an active imagination. It could be one of those dreams that his friends, family, and just about everyone else in the world has right before they meet their soulmate.

_“First, you’ll see their eyes, Chris.”_

The phenomenon was more widely reported in the twenty-first century, but it had occurred long before that. His grandmother had told him that it was how the old cliché _“the eyes are the window to the soul”_ had started. As a teenager, Chris, the aspiring writer, had scoffed at that, never wanting to fall into that trap in his work or his personal life. Yet almost everyone had the dreams in their late teens and early twenties, so maybe he was just like the rest of them. He had never been like the rest of them though so it couldn’t be _those_ dreams.

It has to be a new character screaming at him to be included in the next best selling novel that his publisher is nagging him to finish. The deadline is looming but Chris has been lacking inspiration. Maybe this is what he needs.

He tosses and turns in bed, trying to recall anything else from his dream other than those comforting, seemingly familiar eyes but it’s no use. He sighs and gets up, swallows down a quick glass of water from his kitchen faucet, and then sinks into his mattress.

Sleep comes but Chris doesn’t dream.

He’s become a successful young author by relying on nothing but his dreams. So why are they failing him now?

***

He sits down to write the next day and nearly finishes a scene without any distractions until those honey-colored eyes haunt his vision. Chris curses and wonders why he can’t grasp any more than that. Do these eyes belong to a man or a woman? Are they even human?

Yes, he’s certain that they’re human. But if they belong to a character, why won’t his subconscious tell him whose eyes they are?

He shakes his head and stares at the blinking cursor. Words continue to escape him as the seconds tick by, so he closes his laptop and lies on his couch. Sleep quickly overtakes him and he can feel arms wrapping around his middle, lips brushing against his neck, and somehow, he knows these body parts belong to Hazel Eyes, who probably isn’t a character in his book.

But Chris doesn’t want to see the rest of a man who only exists in his dreams, and if this man is real, Chris would like to find him sooner rather than later. Maybe his curiosity will be satisfied once he has a living, breathing, and fully fleshed out human in front of him. Perhaps then the dreams will stop and he can finally finish his book. 

He lets a couple of days pass and when he goes out, he instinctively searches the bar for someone with hazel eyes. However he only finds crystal blue eyes and a tall blonde with a gorgeous smile. So he gives up on his mission for the night in favor of satisfying more immediate needs. He takes the man home and gets off with him, which is usually good enough to fulfill Chris’ need for companionship. However, when the man leaves in the early morning hours, Chris is only left with emptiness and longing.

Maybe there is something to this whole soulmate thing.

There is so much work left for Chris to do though and he doesn’t need any more personal distraction. Thus for about a week, he shifts his focus to his manuscript instead and makes decent progress with very little interruption.

He celebrates with an open bottle of wine left over from the last time he had a dinner party, where he played fifth wheel as Ashley and Lea had literally brought the men of their dreams. He's surprised there’s any alcohol left at all, given how he had to watch the two couples cozy up to each other all night. Chris had grinned and told them how ecstatic he was that they had found happiness, even if it was dictated by their societal beliefs that they needed someone to complete them. The women rolled their eyes and laughed at his cynicism as he swallowed down more wine, those whiskey eyes burned into his brain.

He returns to the present just as alone and finishes off one glass before passing out. Of course, Hazel Eyes floods his vision, now accompanied by a blinding white smile. No other characteristics appear and he wakes up yet again in frustration.

If this man is meant to be his, then why can’t Chris see him, _now?_

***

“You can’t sleep, can you?”

“I’m fine, Ash.”

“You look like shit. You haven’t been sleeping,” Ashley says matter-of-factly, shoveling popcorn into her mouth while she sits on the couch next to Chris about a week later.

“It’s just stress from writing the book.”

“Yeah, okay. Ooh, do you have a new man or something? Is _he_ keeping you up at night?” she asks excitedly, sidling closer to him.

Chris sighs. “No, Ashley. Not exactly.”

Her tone grows more serious as she continues her barrage of questions. “Honey, what is it, then? Is it Hannah? Is she okay?” 

“Hannah’s fine. I’m fine. I--”

“Yeah, yeah, the book. I still don’t buy it, babe. Are you gonna tell me what’s really going on?”

“There’s nothing to tell. Not yet, anyway.”

“Whoa, wait. What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what I said it means.”

Ashley squeezes Chris’ knee and exclaims, “Oh my God. You’re having dreams about _him.”_

“About who?” Chris wonders, feigning confusion although he knows exactly what she means.

“Him. The guy you’re meant to be with. It took me by surprise too when it happened to me. How long have you been having them? How much do you know about him?”

“Like I said, there’s nothing to tell,” he replies, his eyes flickering away from her questioning gaze.

“Nope. You’re not skating by on this. You’re totally having those dreams and you know something about him. So spill.”

“Fine.” He closes his eyes and leans back against the couch cushion, seeing the man’s eyes before he opens his own again. “I only know his eyes, hazel, and his smile. Both are nice, warm.”

Chris avoids mentioning that he’s now looking forward to the dreams and can’t wait until they reveal more to him.

“That’s good, Chris. Be patient because it is _so_ worth the wait. I promise.”

He can see the glow on her face, probably from thinking about her own love.

“Okay,” Chris answers, clutching her hand and suddenly wishing he had more than a pair of eyes and a bright smile.

***

His wish is fulfilled two weeks later when his dreams show him a trim, olive-toned torso smattered with dark hair.

There’s no smile or any other facial feature but it’s clear that the man is flat on his back in Chris’ bed.

Chris still isn’t quite sure if his subconscious is attempting to fill in the blanks with what he wants or if these parts belong to a real person out there somewhere; he figures that there’s no way he’s meant to have someone so attractive. Yet Chris’ gut tells him that this is Hazel Eyes, the man who Chris will be with someday.

Dream Chris drags his fingers down the man’s chest, his belly stirring with heat as he watches the beautiful contrast of their skin tones. Instead of continuing downward, Chris’ vision shifts to the man’s genuine, beaming grin, scrunchy nose, and squinty eyes. For some reason he’s struck with an overwhelming sense of joy and he’s pretty sure the man feels exactly the same.

Suddenly Chris wakes up however, blinking the bright morning sun and the disappointment out of his eyes. He sighs as his brain, or maybe fate, blocks him from what happens next.

He’ll just have to keep waiting and hoping that his dreams come true.

***

Until then, Chris pushes those dreams to the back of his mind in favor of more pressing matters, like how he’s out of cat food, milk, and more importantly, Diet Coke. So he makes a quick trip to the grocery store. Once there, he realizes that he might need food for himself as well and he gets lost in the selection of frozen pizzas looming before him.

“Hey, do you need some help?”

Chris startles and turns his head to see a man slightly shorter than himself with dark, curly hair, ridiculously thick eyebrows and the most beautiful, unmistakable hazel eyes he’s ever seen.

It’s _him._

Chris’ own blue eyes widen as the man continues, an amused grin crossing his face.

“I’ve been told I’m somewhat of an expert.”

Chris swallows, attempting to maintain his composure and smirking back. “Oh, really? A young twenty-something man being an expert on frozen ready-to-eat meals? Didn’t see that one coming.”

The man’s mouth drops open as his eyes flit across Chris’ face. He raises his eyebrows for a moment but then he shakes his head and smiles, clutching his chest in mock pain. “I’m wounded, man. That was harsh.”

“Well, the truth hurts.”

“Yeah, especially when you’re freezing your ass off in the grocery store in front of a cute guy. Oops! Did I say that out loud?” The man chuckles.

Chris blushes and clears his throat, turning back toward the case of food. “Are you going to help me or not?”

“Depends. Are you going to give me your number?”

“I don’t even know your name. Besides, you’ll have to earn it first.”

“Ahh, I see. Well, you have your cheap two-dollar microwave pizzas and then you have your five-dollar oven pizzas. I’d go with the latter if you wanna get super fancy or if you’re feeding more than one person.”

Chris turns his head toward the man again. “Nope. Just me and my cat. But I’m not letting him eat my pizza no matter how much he begs.”

He studies Chris’ face and licks his lips. “That’s, um, that’s good to know. So you probably don’t want any seafood pizza then.”

“Oh, Brian wouldn’t care about that. He just wants what I have. That’s my cat's name, Brian.”

Chris mentally curses himself for rattling on about his cat in front of the handsome man who he might be spending the rest of his life with. Then he wonders if the man already knows about his cat and about the way he tends to ramble when he’s nervous.

“Oh, okay. Don’t need any more competition.” The man breaks the awkward moment by switching back to the task at hand. “Hey, what’s your favorite topping? I’m partial to the supreme. I know not everyone’s into veggies though.”

Chris gives him a small smile. “I don’t mind them.”

“So you should get the larger oven one then. Splurge a little. Maybe you can even split it with another human and not a cat.”

The man raises an eyebrow, smirks yet again and offers his hand. “Darren.”

Chris gives his name as well, his breath catching as he takes the guy’s hand and has a vision of Darren sitting at his kitchen table and a smile on his face.

“Whoa, that was wild!” Darren exclaims. “Did you just see something?”

“Yeah. I saw you.”

Darren’s voice softens as he says, “I saw you too. It was nice.” Then it returns to teasing as he adds, “Well, have I earned that number or better yet, dinner? Who knows how long you would’ve been standing here if it weren’t for me?”

“Huh, I don’t know. I probably would have given up and bought waffles instead.”

Chris reluctantly drops Darren’s hand and opens the refrigerator case, grabbing a gourmet oven pizza per Darren’s suggestion.

“Ooh, you should get those, too! Get the good kind of maple syrup if you don’t have any. There’s this brand my brother’s been raving about but it might only be local to New York where he lives. So about that number...” Darren trails off.

But Chris doesn’t answer right away. Instead he throws the pizza in his cart beside the half gallon of milk and the twelve pack of Diet Coke. “Actually, maybe you can come over and show me how to cook the stuff since you’ve been so helpful and all.”

“Okay. Awesome! Can I be your personal shopper for the rest of your trip too? Y’know, because I’m so valuable.”

“Fine. Guess I could use you.” Chris shrugs with a grin, gripping the cart handle with both hands when Darren crowds his space and whispers in his ear.

“You can use me any way you like, Chris.”

“Duly noted,” Chris replies, his voice barely remaining neutral as his stomach flips and he remembers the dream of Darren naked below him. 

“Picking out my maple syrup is awfully presumptuous by the way,” Chris adds, breaking the moment.

“Maybe I’ll want some for dinner with my waffles,” Darren comments while they walk down the aisle and turn left into the next one. “Maybe your pizza making skills are terrible.”

“Even with your recommendations?”

They stop at the beginning of the aisle and Chris picks out chocolate chip waffles.

“Hey, I can’t help everyone. I’m not a miracle worker. Nice choice by the way.” Darren nods.

“Are you even buying anything?” Chris wonders, noticing that Darren isn’t carrying any items with him.

“Don’t have to. You’re treating me for dinner. Might get some beer though. It’ll go great with the pizza.”

“How do you know I don’t have any?" Chris returns. The conversation and the shopping with Darren feels so routine, like they’ve been doing this for years despite having only recently met in person.

Darren squints and studies his face. “You don’t strike me as a beer type of guy. Just guessing.”

“Fair enough. You’re right actually.”

“Alcohol it is then.”

Darren smiles before he goes to get the beer while Chris heads in the other direction for maple syrup. On a whim, he decides to get cereal as well before they meet up at the same checkout lane.

After Darren pays for his order, Chris places his items on the conveyor belt and mentally checks off what he needed to buy.

“Damn it,” Chris mutters.

Darren’s eyebrows draw together in concern. “What?” 

“I was supposed to get cat food for Brian.”

“I can go get it really quick for you.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly--”

“It’s not a problem,” Darren assures him. “What kind do you usually buy?”

Chris tells him and thanks Darren profusely for saving him from Brian’s wrath if he had returned empty handed.

Darren laughs before heading off and Chris swears he’s already addicted to the sound.

“Your boyfriend’s quite a catch,” the cashier says with a smile as she rings up his order but then she fumbles. “Or am I wrong? Is he not? Oh, sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

“No, it’s fine. We just met actually. First date tonight.”

“Wow. Never would have guessed. Is he the one, you know like everyone always says with the dreams and stuff?”

“I think he might be.”

“I’d wish you luck but for some reason I don’t think you’ll need it.”

“We’ll see about that.”

It’s then that Darren returns, one hand casually resting on the small of Chris’ back and the other holding three cans of cat food. 

Darren glances between them. “We’ll see about what?”

“Whether or not I’ll burn the pizza and ruin our dinner.” Chris covers, surprisingly unfazed by Darren’s continuous touch even as he reaches over to hand the items to the woman.

He flashes a charming grin at the both of them. “That’s why I bought beer. I’ll be so buzzed that it’ll taste great either way.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Darren.”

“Any time.” He smirks as Chris slides his credit card to pay for his order. “Shall we?”

Darren insists on carrying Chris’ soda along with his own beer, which Chris is silently thankful for. After helping Chris put his groceries in the car, Darren stands next to the trunk and in front of Chris, gingerly placing a hand on Chris’ hip.

Chris holds his breath, glancing down at Darren’s full lips and then leaning in at the same time as Darren.

If the afterglow of Chris’ dream is any indication, Darren is probably a good kisser. There’s no way the universe would set him up with an attractive guy who’s sexually satisfying but terrible at kissing. Heat rushes through him in anticipation as he closes his eyes, Darren’s breath against his mouth.

But Darren sighs and says, “See you in a bit, Chris. Can’t wait for our date.”

Chris sighs too. “Yeah, me too. Thanks for all the help.”

Darren pulls back, his hand falling away from Chris’ body. “You’re so welcome. Wait for me and I, uh, I’ll follow you, yeah?”

“Sure,” Chris answers flatly, disguising his mild disappointment that Darren chose not to kiss him.

They’ll kiss and do even more soon enough if Darren’s really the one. They have the rest of their lives and tonight to find out.

***

He nervously lets Darren follow him to his house and pulls into his driveway while Darren parks on the road in front.

Darren greets him, six pack of beer in hand. “Well, this is a cute little place you’ve got here. You own it?”

Chris tries to ignore the tension of how they parted still lingering between them. “Yeah. Being a bestselling author has its perks.”

“Fellow creative type, I see,” Darren remarks as Chris reaches for his groceries. “Lemme, um, grab your bag?”

Chris hands him the paper bag and carries his soda. “Yeah, sure. Thanks. So what do you do that’s so creative?”

He brushes past Darren and walks toward the door while Darren follows closely behind.

“I’m a songwriter and a musician. Got a regular gig at a bar. Maybe it’ll turn into something more, maybe not.” Darren shrugs. 

“Oh, that’s really cool,” Chris comments after setting the bag on the kitchen table and pulling out the pizza.

“Yeah, it pays the bills and it’s kinda fun. Free food and drinks are a big plus.”

“That seems to be a pattern for you.”

Darren’s mouth quirks up on one side. “Hey, I’ll take whatever opportunities life throws my way.”

Chris grins back.

“Can I, uh, help you put your stuff away while you get everything ready?” Darren offers.

Chris looks up from skimming the cooking directions and surprises himself when he answers. “Yeah, milk goes in the fridge, not on the door. The waffles go in the freezer. The whole case of Diet Coke can go on the bottom of the fridge. Leave the other stuff on the counter.”

He never lets anyone help him but his gut tells him that he can trust Darren to do so.

“Is this our first date or our tenth?” Darren asks, effortlessly moving about the kitchen while Chris heats up the oven and places the pizza on one of the racks. “Because I’m usually not wearing sweats and inviting myself over until then.”

“So you’ve had other relationships?” Chris wonders, shutting the oven just as Darren closes the fridge.

“Yeah, but they never felt... _right,_ y’know?” 

Chris studies Darren’s tiny frame, scruffy face, and dark, wild curls that look like they haven’t been brushed in years, so different from anyone Chris has dated in the past, which Chris finds he doesn’t mind.

“Yeah, I do know. But that doesn’t matter anymore, does it?”

“Maybe not,” Darren says, stepping closer and curling a hand over Chris’ hip. “How much time do we have until the food’s ready?”

Chris takes a deep breath. “I thought you knew, Mr. Pizza Expert.”

“Cooking times vary between ovens,” he whispers against Chris’ lips.

“How sexy.”

“I try.” Darren cups Chris’ cheek and leans in but this time he doesn’t pull away.

Instead he presses their mouths together and Chris presses back harder, clutching the hem of Darren’s shirt in his fist and biting Darren’s bottom lip. Darren spins them around, hoisting Chris onto the countertop and digging his fingers into Chris’ side. When Darren licks into his mouth, Chris’ whole body lights up with arousal. Darren is already half-hard against him as well and it’s almost too much. Chris keeps kissing him though and then he sees a shirtless Darren above him, hazel eyes burning into his own as Darren grunts and grinds into him. After that, Chris pulls away panting and when he opens his own eyes, he witnesses the same gaze that he had a few seconds ago.

“Fuck. Did you see something again?” Chris breathes out.

“Yeah. Shit. When we finally--” Darren interrupts himself to brush his lips over Chris’ neck, “it’s gonna be fucking amazing.”

“But I’ve never been a bottom. Not for anyone.”

“There’s a first time for everything.’ Darren laughs against his skin. “I promise I’ll be gentle if that’s what you want.”

“It’s not.”

Then Chris tilts his head back, nearly hitting it on the cabinet. 

“Whoa, you okay there?” Darren immediately reaches his hand out toward the back of Chris’ neck. 

“Yeah, I think so. I will be.” Chris smiles dreamily.

“Okay. Good. What you said about being rough, I, uh, I’ll keep that in mind.” Darren’s eyes darken briefly before he rubs a thumb over Chris’ cheek soothingly. “Sorry about not kissing you earlier. Call me a hopeless romantic but if you’re really my soulmate or whatever, I was thinking our first kiss probably shouldn’t happen in the middle of a grocery store parking lot. I mean, it’s kind of insane since I’ve already seen you half-naked but--”

“But it’s okay if it happens in the middle of my kitchen?”

“I didn’t hear any complaints.” Darren grins and glances down at Chris’ lips. “Anyway, I was hoping we could at least get through our first date before we kissed. Of course it appears that I lack any self control when it comes to you.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“It could be a very good thing,” Darren murmurs, kissing him briefly. “Suddenly I don’t really care about dinner.”

“But there’s pizza and beer.”

“Right. You drive a hard bargain, good sir. We can always do that other stuff later.” Darren winks, taking Chris’ hand and helping him down from the counter. “Plus it’d be a shame if you burned your house down since the pizza’s still in the oven and all.”

“True, especially before I can demonstrate any of my real cooking skills. I do throw a mean dinner party with actual food.”

“Really? So you’ve been lying this whole time? You can do more than turn on an oven?”

“Not lying. Just omitting certain truths. Gotta keep a few tricks up my sleeve.” Chris smiles, turning away to check the pizza and figuring it still has about ten more minutes.

“Maybe you can show me some time?” Darren returns, grabbing Chris’ wrist and pulling him close.

“Maybe.” Chris’ pulse quickens at the touch. “Maybe we should talk some more first.”

“That’s so much more boring but you’re right, I guess.” Darren smiles, rubbing Chris’ wrist with his thumb. “Where should we start?”

Chris leads him to the couch and they sit close together. “First of all, what do you know about this whole soulmate thing?”

“Well, I know that it’s you.” Darren smirks, holding Chris’ hand. “And I believe that the universe, or whatever it is that controls it, sends you these dreams as sort of a warning that you’re about to find this person.”

After he hears Darren’s interpretation, Chris asks a question that nags at him. 

“So did you always know yours would be a man?”

“No, not until I had the dreams. I grew up mostly attracted to women but I’ve always been open to all the possibilities. So I’m okay with it. I mean, I’m just some guy. I can’t control what I feel or where the universe steers me.”

Chris gulps, his nerve endings on fire where Darren’s knee touches his and where his calloused hand gently caresses Chris’ palm.

“You don't think you have a choice, Darren?”

It feels so natural for Chris to say Darren’s name, like it’s been echoing faintly in the back of his mind for years and he’s just now finally able to hear it clearly.

“Hmm,” Darren starts. “I think I chose to go to the store tonight and chat with a handsome stranger, just like my mom chose to sneak out of her room one night and happened to run into her future husband. So I think we’re lead a certain way but then we make choices that shape our future. Like, maybe I would have met you at a concert or on my way out of an audition but we would have met eventually. I know it.”

“Audition?”

“That’s what you get from that?” Darren laughs. “Yeah, sometimes I pretend to be an actor. I even fooled people enough to get a degree in it. The music thing is because I love both and it helps me get by. But, um, let’s get back to the dreams. How do you feel about this fucking crazy concept?”

Chris bites his lip, hesitant to tell Darren that he thought his dreams were sending him a new character for his book when he has this very real, very handsome man - his _soulmate -_ before him.

“I, um, I think the pizza’s ready.”

Darren lets go of Chris’ hand but not the subject. “Fine, but you’re not getting away that easily. C’mon, you can tell me if you think it’s total bullshit.”

Chris stands up and walks back to the kitchen. “It’s not that. Well, not entirely.”

Darren follows him, pulling a chair out and sitting at the table. “Okay. What is it, then?”

Chris carefully takes the pizza out with a pot holder and lets it rest on the kitchen table. “I couldn't believe you were actually real. Like I said, I’m a writer and inspiration comes to me all the time from all different places, sometimes from dreams.”

Chris grabs two plates from his cabinet, placing one in front of Darren. Then he retrieves a pizza cutter from his drawer.

“So you thought I was a fairy tale prince or something, right?” Darren wonders.

Chris whips around in disbelief, sharp utensil still in hand. “What did you just say?”

“Whoa, watch where you point that thing, man.”

He holds the pizza cutter at his side sheepishly. “Sorry. I was just shocked.” 

“At what?” Darren’s eyebrows pull together in confusion. “At me for saying that I’m your Prince Charming? Too cheesy, I know.”

“No, it’s not that. I mean yeah, it was cheesy.” Chris chuckles, cutting the pizza into slices. “But I do sort of write fairy tales. How did you guess?”

“I don’t know. I kind of had a feeling.” Darren shrugs, reaching for the food.

Chris eats and silently contemplates if this is another soulmate thing until Darren interrupts him.

“Huh, does that make you a damsel in distress?” he asks around a mouthful of pizza.

“I wasn’t distressed until I started dreaming about you,” Chris counters dryly. 

Darren sticks out his tongue after he swallows. “Jerk.”

Chris snickers. “Anyway, you weren’t a prince. You were just... _you.”_

He feels a sense of comfort settling into his bones as he remembers Darren in his bed with those same inviting eyes that are staring at him now. 

Darren sets down his pizza and his answering smile is tender. “I know what you mean. I’m so glad I’m here, to finally have a name to put to the face and all.”

“Me too. So do we, like, date now or something?”

Darren reaches across the table for Chris’ hand and replies, “Well, yeah. I’d like to. No need to rush though. The universe has done enough of that for us, right?”

Chris can’t help but take it and laugh. “Yes, I think so.”

“Fuck, I don’t wanna leave.”

“So stay. It’d be a shame to not at least have a drink.”

“True. I like the way you think, Chris.”

Chris smiles at him, glad that this night isn’t over quite yet.

***

They each have a beer and move to the couch, sitting casually next to each other and trading particulars like their last names and where they grew up. Darren visibly blushes for the first time when he talks about a character he made up as a kid called iclemeyer; it started out as a simple doodle to which he added a quirky backstory of being born on another planet and making a home here on Earth. He declares that maybe he and his creative outlets were fucking weird. However he seemed to turn out okay in the end.

Chris agrees that his own uniqueness helped him carve out a path too, even if it a was rather bumpy one growing up.

Darren looks at him in concern but he doesn’t press for more details, instead taking another sip of his beer and asking Chris about his inspiration for writing.

“I mean, besides me. That’s a given.” Darren smirks.

Chris doesn’t know if he should smack Darren or kiss that obnoxious expression off his face but he’s leaning toward the latter. He settles on answering the question, mentioning the classic fairy tales that everyone knows, along with the favorites he grew up reading, like A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Harry Potter series.

Darren’s eyes light up. “No fucking way. I honestly didn’t really love reading at all until Harry Potter. I even talked with my college buddies about making a musical out of it but they thought I was insane.”

“Oh my God, that would have been amazing.”

Darren sets down his now empty beer bottle, his voice brimming with enthusiasm as he practically bounces up and down and Chris finds him that much more attractive. “I know, right? That’s what I said. But apparently no one cared about my drunken rantings even after I had written a song for it and everything.”

“Really? I’d like to hear it some time.”

“Shit, if I had a guitar I’d play it right fucking now. It was a true masterpiece. Basically Ron and Draco are battling for the affections of Hermione. In my head, someone else is singing it because I’m totally Harry.”

“Oh yeah. I can see it.” Chris traces a lightning bolt on Darren’s forehead with his pointer finger, continuing down Darren’s nose. Then he pauses, running his thumb along the bow of Darren’s lips, that instinctively part under Chris’ touch.

“Stop it,” Darren warns, his voice suddenly hoarse when Chris pulls his finger away.

“Stop what?”

“Making Harry Potter sexy.”

“Or what?” Chris challenges with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Or this.” 

One of Darren’s hands splays across Chris’ cheek as their lips meet softly at first. But then Darren presses harder, nibbling at Chris’ bottom lip. Chris lets out a little moan, biting Darren’s top lip in return and squeezing Darren’s side. Darren’s other hand mirrors Chris’ movement, digging his fingers into Chris’ hip. Then he climbs into Chris’ lap and grinds their hips together.

Darren pauses, his lips grazing Chris’ jaw. “Chris, is this okay? I know I said no rush but--”

“No, you’re fine. It’s fine. I’d tell you if you weren’t.”

“‘Kay. Cool.”

Darren kisses him again and when he slides his hands under Chris’ shirt, Chris sees them both naked, in the same position that they are now. It urges Chris on to slip his own hands under Darren’s shirt as well, where he meets the hot, firm flesh of Darren’s belly; it’s covered in coarse hair that Chris just wants to scratch, so he does. Darren kisses along his neck and pulls at the neckline of Chris’ shirt so he can mouth at Chris’ collarbone. Chris’ hips buck up, meeting where Darren strains in his jeans.

“God, Darren. I--”

He nuzzles at Chris’ neck and murmurs, “Yeah? What, babe?”

“We just--Maybe we should take a step back.”

Darren pulls away and looks up at him in concern. “Are you scared? It’s not your first time, is it?”

“Oh God, no. It’s not that. I’m not scared. I just need to breathe for a second.”

“Yeah, but kissing is awesome. Kissing _you_ is awesome,” he says after a brief touch of their lips.

“Likewise.” Chris grins. “But this is a lot to take in. I mean, I’ve been dreaming about you and then there you are, in a supermarket of all places, and now you’re in my lap and I’m seeing you in my head when you’re right here in front of me--”

Darren presses a finger to Chris’ lips. “Okay. Maybe you do need to breathe. I’m freaking out a little too here but I’m going with it because it’s you and like I said before, it feels right. So just trust what you feel, man.”

“You have that much faith in the universe?”

“No, I have that much faith in my boner.” Darren chuckles.

“Annnd you killed the moment.”

“Fair enough but I’m totally fucking wrecking you one day,” he whispers hoarsely into Chris’ ear and bites down on his earlobe.

“We’ll see. Maybe I’ll wreck you.”

Darren meets Chris’ mischievous gaze. “Oh yeah? Can’t wait.”

Chris catches his breath as Darren climbs off his lap and sits beside him.

“Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I stay? We don’t have to have sex or anything. I just want to be near you and I don’t want this night to end.”

When Chris chances a look over, Darren ducks his head bashfully. This whole thing is insane but Chris can’t deny his heart jumping in his chest, seemingly pulling him closer to the man in front of him.

“Me neither,” Chris finds himself saying before he can realize it. “Why the hell not?”

Chris leads Darren up to his room, uncharacteristically leaving behind the mess of empty beer bottles and leftover pizza.

“Well, it’s a good thing I went out looking like a hot mess. Makes cuddling easier.” Darren smirks, standing next to Chris’ bed as he toes off his shoes and strips down to his boxers.

Chris stares in awe, wondering how the universe could send him someone so adorable and sexy at the same time. There must be a glitch in the system.

“You okay there?” Darren chuckles. “You look a little perplexed.”

Chris grabs sweatpants and a t-shirt from his drawer and answers, “I’m fine. I just--I don’t know. This whole thing is still really odd. I’m going to bed with a stranger. I mean, not that I haven’t--I--”

“Chris.” Darren walks toward him and takes Chris’ wrist. “I’m not a stranger. Not really. We’re going to be together.”

A vision flashes before Chris, of Darren with gray hair and deep crinkles at the corners of his eyes but with the same smile.

Suddenly Chris can’t breathe. “I--Maybe you should go.”

“Hey, sorry, I’m probably rushing again. I tend to do that but I know you’ve seen us. I’ve seen us too and I’m pretty sure it’s more than wishful thinking. But I can stop talking about the future if that’s what you want, okay?”

He doesn’t really know Darren at all yet and he still isn’t entirely sure about these dreams. But if Darren has had some of the same visions, then maybe there’s truth to them. He decides to ask Darren more about his experiences as a reassurance that being with him really is the right path.

“No, I, um, I want to know more. Tell me about your soulmate dreams, Darren,” he urges.

“One condition.”

“Yeah?”

“We get to snuggle while we chat?” Darren proposes, a hint of mischief in his eyes. He’s flirting but he seems relatively harmless so Chris decides to take a chance and let him explain. If he’s going to learn about his soulmate, why not get some cuddles out of it?

“Okay. Sure, but don’t try anything naughty,” Chris teases.

“I swear I’ll be a saint. I won’t even look when you get changed.” He covers a hand over his eyes.

“You won’t because I’ll be leaving the room.”

“Cool. Whatever floats your boat, man.”

Chris goes into the bathroom to put on his pajamas and think about the events of the night. At first, he was a single guy buying cat food and suddenly he’s going to bed with the man he’s been dreaming about for weeks. It’s terrifying yet exhilarating at the same time. If he hadn’t heard firsthand accounts of similar stories, he wouldn’t believe it himself. But here Darren is, a living, breathing human being waiting for him.

Oh, how he plans to take advantage of that one day but for now, he changes his clothes, brushes his teeth and settles into bed with Darren beside him. His body adjusts fairly easily to having someone else next to him despite never having a serious boyfriend or anything except for Brian taking up space in his bed. It feels proper to let Darren have the left side while he takes ownership of the right. 

But Chris breaks the silence, remembering their conversation before he left his bedroom. “So let’s talk.”

Darren mentions that he began having dreams of blue eyes about two months ago and he’s seen a few more details recently. When he first saw Chris today, he had a feeling that he was the man in his dreams. Then he shook Chris’ hand and he knew that it was his soulmate. Chris feels a sense of comfort and warmth as he listens to Darren’s story, knowing that he had a similar experience. He can rest a little easier now that he knows more about what they’ve shared. He can’t help wondering how much more Darren has seen, but his eyes grow heavy with tiredness. So they fall shut as Darren continues rambling on about soulmates, music and Harry Potter. Eventually when Chris turns on his side away from Darren, arms wrap around his middle and he naturally curves to fit his back against Darren’s chest.

Darren hums contentedly and goes quiet, his lips brushing the back of Chris’ neck. That familiar warmth flows over Chris like when he had been dreaming of Darren’s eyes, except now it’s magnified thousands of times to where he’s nearly on fire. He doesn’t want to ever stop burning though.

He drifts off to sleep and wonders if maybe now he’ll stop dreaming.

***

He doesn’t; instead he sees Darren, sweaty and laughing as he twirls Chris around his bedroom. They collapse in a heap, Darren on top of him and brushing the hair off his forehead. Then they kiss and their hands tangle together, metal glinting on their ring fingers.

He sees another flash of Darren throwing a ball and a golden retriever racing through his backyard to catch it. Chris simply smiles as he watches them from the porch. Darren notices his gaze and sends him a bright smile along with those honey eyes.

Everything else fades to black until Chris stirs awake, turned on his side and confused as to why he’s not sprawled across the middle of his mattress like usual. He figures out why when a groan sounds from behind him and he turns around to the man sleeping next to him.

Right, Darren.

His breath catches in his chest as he remembers last night, finally meeting the guy who’s been starring in his dreams for over a month. Apparently his supposed soulmate still shows up there even though they’ve already met. So much for Darren’s theory. 

Maybe the dreams and visions will continue for the rest of his life, the future cementing itself in his subconscious. He vaguely recalls an image of both he and Darren wearing rings and his heart seizes, both because his fate seems set in stone and because Darren seems too good to be true. Darren is supposed to be his forever and Chris likes him so far but how long will that last? Supposedly quite a while since this is his future husband lying next to him. It seems damn near impossible for so many reasons, starting with Darren’s physical appearance.

He’s so gorgeous that Chris can’t help staring. Darren’s long eyelashes fan out across his cheeks while his full lips part in relaxation, drool spilling out the corner and dripping over the day old stubble dotting his jaw. Chris grimaces but somehow he still marvels at how cute Darren looks on his pillow. It must be a soulmate thing. 

He nearly gags at the thought that he might be like Ashley and Lea soon, gushing about how he’s met the one he’s going to love for the rest of his life. It sounds so neat and perfect like the happy ending of a fairy tale or a romance novel. Even with his recent professional success, Chris’ life has never felt like that. Then he runs his fingers down Darren’s arm and thinks maybe his own story will be written differently than he ever imagined. 

However all his musings disappear when those golden eyes flutter open and shine brightly back at him. His stomach flips and that heat flickers within him when he stares into Darren’s eyes. Maybe he can live with the gooey new relationship saccharine coursing through his veins if he gets to wake up to this more often.

“Hey,” Darren whispers, shifting closer to Chris.

“Good morning to you too.” Chris grins.

“Is it okay if we cuddle some more?” Darren asks, his voice gravelly and inherently deeper from disuse.

“Sure,” he answers and the sugar morphs into desire spreading throughout his body.

Darren closes the tiny gap between them, his arms enveloping Chris in a soft embrace. 

“Missed you,” Darren mumbles as he tucks his head into Chris’ chest.

“I was right here the whole night.”

“That’s still too far away.” Darren groans.

Chris laughs. “Don’t get all clingy on me already. Haven’t you gotten sick of me yet?”

“Nope. I--I think you’re pretty awesome actually. From what I know anyway and I know quite a lot.”

“So you’ve said last night.”

“Mhmm. But there’s more,” Darren tells him, his lips brushing against Chris’ clothed shoulder.

Chris shivers anyway, his nerve endings electrifying at the simple touch. “Oh, yeah? Like what?”

“Hmm. Well, you have a dog lurking around this place somewhere or you will one day. I had a dream about it last night.”

Chris’ fingers dig into Darren’s bicep tightly; he knows they may have shared some visions but he wonders if that also happened last night while they laid in bed together.

“Really?” Chris asks. “For your information, I don’t currently own a dog but um, what did this dog look like?”

“Golden retriever, I think. I bet Brian will love that.”

Wow, they totally did see the same snippets of time.

“Holy shit,” Chris exclaims.

“Yeah there’s going to be a lot of that and I’m not cleaning it up.”

“Oh my God,” Chris exclaims, not yet mentioning their coinciding dreams. “Is this the humor I’ll have to live with if I let you into my life?”

“If?” Darren chuckles. “I’m already in your bed. Please tell me you want to see me again.”

“I’ll have to think about it,” Chris teases although he knows he does want to see Darren again.

“Maybe I can give you some incentive to stop thinking and say yes.”

With that, Darren rolls Chris flat on his back so that Chris lay underneath him.

Darren smirks before leaning in to press his lips to Chris’ own while Darren’s hands stroke down his arms. Chris’ fingers drift across the small of Darren’s back, bringing him impossibly closer. Arousal stirs low in his belly once more as their groins collide. Darren’s mouth drags over Chris’ jaw and finds that spot on the corner of his chin, making Chris moan in pleasure. 

“Fuck,” Chris curses and when he close his eyes he sees Darren kneeling between his legs, all the blood rushing south.

Darren continues to suck hard at Chris’ chin, pain and pleasure mixing together where a mark is surely forming. But Chris couldn’t care less. In fact he finds that he actually wants to look in the mirror and witness the evidence of this man, who’s meant to be his, claiming a small piece of territory. He wants to remember that Darren was here in his bed and perhaps soon he’ll carve a spot deep within his heart.

“Oh God, yes.” Chris grunts. “Don’t stop.”

A sharp pressure hits him for a second and then it softens a little as Darren keeps working that area of Chris’ skin for a few more moments. Darren licks at it and kisses down the column of Chris’ neck.

“You taste so good,” Darren babbles against Chris’ shirt collar and his fingers snake under the hem of Chris shirt, finding the bare skin of his stomach. “Wanna taste you everywhere. Wanna touch you.”

“You--you are touching me,” Chris manages, earning a pinch to his left side.

“Oh, so now you’re a smartass?”

“Ouch! Always have been. I thought you knew that.”

“Guess I’m still learning but.” Darren pauses, tweaking one of Chris’ nipples between his fingers. “I want to find out more if you’ll let me.”

Chris arches up into the sensation. “I--I’m really okay with that.”

“Good.” Darren scrapes his teeth at that spot behind Chris’ ear. “I can’t wait.”

His pulse quickens at the notion of allowing Darren to explore his body; if he plays it as well as he has this morning, which his dreams tell him he will, then Chris has so much to look forward to.

He lets Darren slip off his shirt and lazily kiss him a little longer until Darren takes his shirt off too.

Darren looks almost exactly as Chris remembers from his dreams with a few delicious details filled in. His skin glows golden in the dim morning light with that dusting of hair curling around his nipples, across his chest and trailing from his belly button to down below his waistband. Chris blinks, praising whatever power granted him this guy. Then he pulls Darren to him.

“So I'm guessing this is a yes?” Darren grins, his face barely an inch away from Chris’ own. “You’ll see me again?”

“That depends on how this morning goes.”

“I understand. I’ll just have to keep convincing you then.”

Darren peppers kisses down Chris’ chest and nudges Chris’ legs open, settling between them. He gazes downward hungrily and Chris’ cock jolts to life.

Darren licks his lips and stares at Chris, asking permission. “Is this okay? I know you don’t want to move too fast and--”

“You’re fine. This is--this is good.”

“Okay. Awesome. Just checking.”

Darren nuzzles Chris’ stomach right underneath his belly button. Then he mouths along the waist of Chris’ sweatpants, leaving a wet sloppy trail as his stubble scratches against the sensitive skin. Chris’ belly instinctively quivers since he’s always been particularly responsive there.

“Ohh, ohh,” Chris cries out, his eyes falling shut as he sees another flash where a fully bearded Darren rubs his face against the same spot before wickedly smiling at him. When Chris opens his eyes, he reflexively reaches out and smacks him in the back of the head in the present day.

A confused but still adorable Darren soothes at his curls. “Ow! What the hell, Chris?” 

“That’s for future you being an asshole. You’re gonna give me beard burn, you jerk.”

Darren’s eyes widen in realization and a shit-eating grin spreads across that sinful mouth. “You’re gonna love my beard and its burn, you know. If you’re off on some fancy book tour or I’m not here, you’ll look down and see me. Even if I’m not with you, I’m right here.” Darren’s fingers dance along the area in question.

Chris shivers but teases him anyway. “You looked like a homeless grizzly bear when I saw you.”

“You’ll love that too.”

Maybe he’s right. Though slightly annoyed, Chris felt a sense of belonging and happiness in his vision. Darren seemed comfortable with him too. But for some reason seeing the future mapped out like this in little pieces when he’s trying to live now is a little distracting. Even if he’s meant to love Darren and he wants that happy ending, he’d rather decide it for himself.

“You sound awfully confident.” Chris scoffs.

“I’m irresistible every which way, baby.” He laughs and kisses a patch of skin right near one of Chris’ hips where the imaginary offense occurred. “Anyway, is that better?”

“Mhmm.”

“I’m sorry for whatever I might do next time but I think we’re going to have a lot of fun.” Darren grabs one of Chris’ hands and squeezes it. “That much I can promise.”

Somehow, with Darren’s rough, calloused fingers in his own, Chris believes him.

“But maybe we should get up before you picture me biting your dick off or something,” Darren jokes. “Wouldn’t want to maim you before I really get a chance to enjoy it all.”

Chris rolls his eyes. “I think I’ll be alright on that but just to be safe, c’mere.”

Darren comes closer, laying on top of him, their bare torsos together, electrifying the sparks between them as he feels Darren half-hard against him.

Chris nips at Darren’s lower lip and says, “You think you’ll have a piece of me? Now I have a piece of you.”

Darren breathes out a simple, “Yeah, you already do.”

Chris relaxes into the pillow, the bliss of an afterglow swimming through him despite not getting off yet. How can he feel like this with a man he only met last night?

He doesn’t know but he intends on keeping Darren around to figure it out.

***

They do nothing more than make out that morning, trading lazy kisses and touches that stoke the slow burn inside of them. But Darren vows to make up for that and for his future hobo self at a later date.

While Darren cradles his head onto Chris’ chest, he hums something under his breath and taps his fingers on Chris’ side in some random pattern. Chris is about to ask if it means anything when there’s a decidedly less pleasant scratching on his bedroom door.

“Damn it.” Chris groans. “Forgot to feed Brian last night with all the excitement going on.”

Darren peeks up at him through his thick mile long lashes. “You sure he didn’t just eat our leftover pizza?”

“He might have, assuming he actually made the effort to climb onto the kitchen table. But knowing that fat ass, he’ll want more. He needs to go on a diet.”

“You’re a terrible pet father, Christopher Colfer.”

“Do you have any pets, Darren?”

He shakes his head from where he still lays on Chris’ chest.

“I rest my case,” Chris declares.

“I’ll spoil the dog rotten though. He’ll love me.”

Chris’ heart clenches as he remembers the pure joy in his fantasy of watching Darren play catch with what might be their dog. They’re already building a domesticity that Chris has lacked with anyone else and even if Darren still lies somewhere between acquaintance and lover, he wants all of that with him.

Still Chris shrugs it off. “We’ll see,” he says before he stands up and opens the door to an ornery Brian glaring and meowing angrily at him. “You still have to win over the cat.”

Darren strides across the room and hugs Chris from behind much like he had in bed last night. “I think I'm winning over his owner. That’s half the battle, right?”

“Clearly you’ve never dealt with a cat,” Chris retorts, automatically melting into his embrace. “Let me go or he’ll revolt.”

“We outnumber him, Chris,” Darren points out, his fingers skating across Chris’ stomach.

“Doesn’t matter. He’ll find a way. He’s crafty.”

“Like making me sneeze all over his very hot owner?”

Chris turns his head and stares back at Darren.

“I’m kind of allergic,” Darren explains. “I’m sure he’s figured it out by now.”

With that, Chris’ bubble of perfection pops. This is real life, not some fairy tale where someone fits into his life without any obstacles. This will be difficult, soulmate or not.

“‘S okay, babe,” Darren reassures him and kisses his shoulder blade. “I’ve got meds. Don’t sweat it.”

Even so, it still nags at Chris that he chose to buy a cat and the universe has stuck him with an obscenely attractive soulmate who happens to be allergic. The solution is easy and fixable in this case but what happens when it’s not?

He pushes the thoughts aside when he finally dislodges himself from Darren’s grip and pads down the stairs to the kitchen where the cans of cat food still rest on the counter. He sets about the task of opening one and putting it in Brian’s dish, leaving the other side of it empty. Brian doesn’t need that much more food if he really ate their pizza slices.

However, Chris knows he does, his insides grumbling furiously at him. He opens the fridge and finds Diet Coke, milk, ranch dressing and last but not least, eggs that are most likely expired. He frowns, startling when fingers squeeze his sides.

“Check the freezer, Chris,” Darren reminds him.

“Oh my God! Quit sneaking up on me like that.”

“I thought you saw me coming, what with the dreams and all.” Darren laughs melodically before planting his lips against Chris’ cheek briefly.

“Funny,” Chris quips in a deadpan voice but follows Darren’s advice, discovering the waffles he bought yesterday.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Darren tells him. “Where would you be without me?”

“Starving, apparently. Too bad I don’t have any butter to go with them though.”

“But you do have syrup and an expert on the art of frozen breakfast items at your disposal.”

“Ahh, so your knowledge extends beyond dinner? I never would have guessed.”

“Hey, I survived college and living on my own for this long. I think I know how to prepare a decent meal.”

“Because you can read directions on a box?”

“I’ll prove it. I’ll make you the best toaster waffles you’ve ever had.”

Chris’ heart warms as he looks back at Darren. “You’re on.”

Darren reaches around him to open the box and grab two waffles from it. Then he searches the room briefly before taking off to the toaster and sticking the items inside. 

“See? So far so good.” Darren crosses his arms over his bare chest and stares at Chris defiantly from a few feet away.

Chris sniffs the air and steps over to him. “You’re right. You haven’t burned them yet.”

“Gee, your confidence in me is overwhelming.”

“I haven’t seen you cook anything well in my dreams.”

“But have you seen me cook anything poorly?” Darren posits, grabbing Chris’ hand and pulling him close.

Chris struggles to breathe with Darren’s eyes gazing into his like he can see every single dream that Chris has had about him. One day he’ll ask if that’s true but today he simply shakes his head and says, “I haven’t seen you cook anything at all.”

Darren swallows and squeezes one of Chris’ hands. “So trust me.”

Darren dives in to peck him on the lips and Chris kisses him back with a little more intensity, trying to convey his sentiment through the touch. He wants to trust Darren but all he has are dreams and a spectacular first date so this will have to be enough.

He guesses it is because Darren responds so beautifully, licking inside Chris’ mouth, the fire swimming through his veins again. Darren’s fingers unlink from his own and search across the bare small of his back until they dip into his waistband. Chris presses his body closer, Darren’s desire clearly evident against him. Chris’ own hands skim Darren’s shoulders and drift down, stopping in the middle of his back when he jumps in surprise and the toaster pops behind them.

Darren laughs, resting his forehead against Chris’. “Damn my awesome cooking skills.”

“That remains to be seen, Dare. But if so, you definitely have the worst timing.”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant. Maybe you should stand back and watch the master work.”

Chris reluctantly drops his hold from Darren and tries to hide his disappointment by letting him go with a harsh quip. “Fine. The plates are in the cabinet right above the toaster if you can reach them, Hobbit.”

Darren pouts adorably before turning away, granting Chris a glorious view of the luminous skin of Darren’s back, leading down to the curve of his ass stretching across his boxers as he grabs the plates. Chris can’t wait to learn every part of this man, from the mess of curls on his head to the tips of his toes and every delicious inch in between. Chris licks his lips and flushes red as Darren comes back, plates of waffles in each hand.

Darren smirks at him. “I’m guessing you like something that you see so I’ll forgive you for the short joke.” 

“Um, the syrup is right there on the counter.” Chris points to the kitchen island to the left of them, avoiding the topic at hand.

Darren sets the plates down and picks up the syrup, drizzling some onto each waffle before he picks up a dish and walks over to the kitchen table.

“It’s okay. It’s cute,” Darren tells him as he sits down. “Could you grab me a fork and knife?”

Chris just laughs and picks up his own plate after he retrieves two sets of utensils from the drawer in his kitchen island. Then he joins Darren at the table.

“Thanks,” Darren offers as he takes them and eats, effectively shutting him up for a few minutes. It doesn’t stop him from nudging Chris’ ankle with his foot however, as if he needs to be in contact with some part of him even if they’re not speaking. Normally, Chris would bristle at such intimate touches from people he barely knows, unless he’s drunk and getting off. In that situation, at least there’s a purpose. However this is for the sake of reassuring their connection or rather establishing one outside of the bedroom. He should shy away from it but for some reason, he doesn’t want to.

Chris takes several bites of his waffle and absently wonders if his cynicism is disappearing. His shoulders slump as he lets out a sigh.

Darren’s fork clanks down against his now empty plate and he lightly bumps his foot against Chris’ shin.

“Chris, is something wrong?”

Chris looks up from his half-eaten meal and freezes. “What? No. Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all. I swear.”

Darren narrows his eyes but accepts it. “Okay. Good because I totally don’t have your number yet and I kind of need that if we’re going out again. Unless you’re about to dump me.”

“I’m not. Where would I be without my sous chef?” He teases, playing off his momentary panic.

“I got a promotion since last night. Awesome!” 

“It’s temporary depending on your performance.” Chris smirks.

“Well, I'll just have to keep performing to your standards. I’m up for the challenge.”

“So you think I’m a challenge?” Chris asks after he eats a little more of his waffle.

“Yeah, I get that impression. I may know certain things about you since you’re my soulmate and all. Plus you may have granted me the courtesy of sharing a couple of meals and a bed. But you’re still kind of a mystery to me, you know? I like that though. I like you so far.”

“Good. I like you too.”

Darren is still playing footsies with him under the table like a teenager while Chris finishes his food and his heart jumps in his chest at the simple act.

“So what’s the verdict?” Darren wonders, resting one of his hands on top of Chris’ once he puts his fork and knife down. “Are you still down for a second date? I promise it’ll be more romantic than grocery shopping.”

“I just said I’m not dumping you so yes. Are you not listening to me already?”

“I’m listening. I want you to be sure about this and not because of the whole soulmate thing. I won’t show up at your door with frozen pizza and demand to move in all my shit. We can take this as fast or as slow as you want.”

He narrows his eyes, contemplating how Darren understands such an important need so soon in their burgeoning relationship. This all seems way too perfect. Still, Chris gives in to Darren’s earnest reassurances and believes him.

“Okay. Glad we’re on the same page,” Chris replies. “Can you take care of the plates and stuff or is that moving too fast?”

“Hey, I made the food. The deal is whoever cooks doesn’t clean up and vice versa. That’s what’s fair, man. Also, it is still your house. I’m not about to step on any toes.”

“But you’ll rub against them.”

“I don’t have a foot fetish if that’s what you’re implying but yes.” Darren chuckles, lightly kicking one of Chris’ ankles and then caressing the top of his foot. “I like every part of you that I’ve seen so far. I mean, not that it’d be wrong if I did have any sort of fetish. It’s just a little soon to let you know all my secrets.”

“I see.” Chris stands up, grabbing his plate and utensils along with Darren’s. “Even if you’ve practically been inside my head.”

“I can’t help that part. I like to think it’s the universe giving me insight into little facets of my life and they happen to include you. I’m not trying to intrude.”

Chris walks over to the sink and throws the dirty items in the sink before flipping around to face Darren again. “I guess you’re right but it’s all still a little weird to see your future before it happens, especially when it involves someone else.”

“Someone you’re going to love?”

Chris nods, milling about the kitchen to throw away the stale leftover pizza from last night still sitting on the kitchen island.

Darren gets up and joins him where he’s standing by the fridge. “It’s not that much different from imagining being with someone. At least if we’re sharing the dreams, we both know where we stand.”

“Maybe.”

“Heavy stuff for a first date, I know. But it’s better than wasting your time, right?” Darren posits as he takes Chris’ hand.

_What if it is all a waste of time and your soulmate doesn’t last forever?_ Chris thinks. _What if it all falls apart?_

“Guess we’ll find out,” Chris answers, looking down at their joined hands before pulling Darren back toward the stairs. “C’mon, you should get some pants and a shirt on and get out of here.”

“Aww, you’re no fun,” Darren mutters as they stand together at the foot of the stairs. “Kicking me out when I barely finished breakfast. You didn’t even offer me tea or coffee.”

“I’m not big on either actually.” 

“Huh, same here. Only if someone is buying and I want to be polite.” He squeezes Chris’ hand. 

“Wow, bringing the romance already.” Chris steps a little closer, leaving no space between them. “Again with the free food and drinks too. How giving of you to claim it’s polite.”

“I try. Who am I to deprive someone the charity of providing for a starving artist?”

“Literally starving.”

“Not anymore. Thanks to you.” 

Darren looks at him, those eyes sparkling in the daylight and burning through him again with a different kind of hunger. Darren’s free hand cups his cheek and brings him in for a kiss, sweet and slow but enough to leave him wanting more when they break apart.

Chris blinks back at him, his mind still a little clouded by lust. “You--You’re welcome.” 

Darren thumbs at Chris’ cheek. “You sure you want me to get dressed?”

“Move it, lover boy.” Chris chides, smacking Darren’s ass. “You know you do have to leave long enough for us to have a second date.”

“Ooh, feisty! Yes, sir.” 

When Darren lets go of Chris’ cheek and does an army salute with his hand as if to follow Chris’ order, Chris can’t help the small thrill that runs through him. He files that away for future reference as he watches Darren race up to his room. Then he quickly follows after him.

Darren has his pants on and is throwing his shirt over his head by the time Chris catches up. Chris stands in the doorway with Darren’s back to him but then Darren turns to face him.

“Well, as far as first dates go, this is the best one I’ve ever had, just so you know,” Darren comments with a smile.

“I have to agree.”

“So.” Darren arches an eyebrow and holds his palm out. 

When Chris looks down, he notices Darren’s phone. “Oh, right. Guess that detail hasn’t been in your dreams.”

“Nope. I’m still not psychic.”

Chris giggles after he takes the phone from his hand and finds the contacts icon on the home screen. Then he clicks it and adds his name into a new listing. “It’s under Chris Colfer, non-psychic Darren. I must have gotten a dud if my guy doesn’t have any superpowers.”

“Awesome! How do you know I don’t, huh? I won’t betray my home planet.”

“Okay, Clark Kent.”

“Shh, you heard nothing. My human identity comes with glasses and I’m wearing contacts right now. Don’t blow my cover.”

“I’ll never tell.”

Darren presses forward for another kiss. “Glad you can keep at least one secret for me, babe.”

“No problem as long you promise to text me.”

“I will. I swear. Prepare to be wooed, Chris Colfer.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Darren Criss.”

“I, um, I’ll see you soon then.”

With that, Darren turns on his heel and exits the room, Chris’ heart already craving to have him back. 

God, he’s already a goner.

***

He goes to bed that night and dreams of the space next to him occupied by more than just a furry friend. He sees those hazel eyes, now accompanied by Darren’s smiling face and the rest of him lying on his side in Chris’ bed. Dream Darren reaches out and cups Chris’ cheek but his hand feels cold the instant it touches his skin. Then Darren’s grin falls flat and his eyes morph to a demonic red.

Chris wakes up in a cold sweat, this time with the overwhelming fear that all his reservations about Darren and soulmates might be valid.

When Ashley comes over a few days later, he tells her all of it, including how he met Darren.

“Wait, hold up. You met your soulmate in the supermarket?” Ashley asks in disbelief.

“Yeah, we bonded over frozen pizza and I rambled on about Brian. It was everything I always wanted,” Chris utters dryly.

“But he’s the one. What matters is the who, not the where. You know how I met my hubby.”

“On the way out of the dentist’s office when you were hopped up on painkillers.”

“Yeah and I had no idea at first. I thought I was hallucinating when he took my hand and helped me to my car. But when I looked into those eyes, I just knew that I’d be with him forever.” Ashley beams as if she’s thinking of that moment, her own eyes lighting up at the memory.

“You didn’t have any doubts?”

“Nope, it’s been pretty crystal clear. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we’ve never fought or anything. But despite any small problems we may have, he’s who I want. There’s no one else I’d rather be with. The universe got it totally right. But anyway back to you and your man. Are you going to see him again?”

“Yeah he texted me yesterday. He’s stopping by tomorrow afternoon but I don’t know what his plan is. What if he doesn’t really have a plan? This is terrible.”

“Does he believe that you’re his soulmate?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Then I bet he has a plan. What’s so terrible about all this? Hot guy who’s nice, artistic and loves Harry Potter? I don’t see a downside.”

“That’s what’s so terrible. There must be something wrong with him. The universe just doesn’t work like that.”

“It does, sweetheart. You’ve found him and he found you. You guys will be amazing together. I can feel it.”

“How can you be so optimistic? He could turn out to be a total jerk. Maybe my dreams are warning me of that now that I’ve met him.”

“You can’t think like that. You deserve a good person, Chris. After waiting for so long and watching me, Lea, and who knows how many friends find the love of their lives, you finally found yours. It’s not a cruel joke.” 

“Isn’t it too soon to say that?”

Ashley squeezes his hand. “I know you’re scared and you’ve never had a serious relationship but that’s okay. I’m sure he’s a good guy. You just have to believe it.”

Chris sighs. “I hope you’re right.”

***

Still, between the time Ashley leaves and when Darren arrives the next day, he does nothing but worry. What if Darren isn’t the one and he has more negative dreams about him? What if he shouldn’t have agreed to another date? Is it too late to back out?

But then Darren texts him with:

_I can’t wait to see you. :)_

Before Chris can answer, Darren adds:

_Oh, and don’t wear anything too nice. Be prepared to get dirty. ;)_

He narrows his eyes at the screen, wracking his brain as to what he means and what outfit he should choose. He reflects on it as he flips through all the clothes in his closet. Darren is sweet, flirty and incredibly gorgeous; he seems like a decent person so far. Besides, Chris hasn’t even really tried to be with anyone, always blaming work or lack of chemistry. But he can afford to relax and make time for someone now that he’s experienced some success. Chemistry is definitely not an adequate excuse in this case either. So maybe he should swallow his anxiety, trust the universe and trust Darren.

With Darren’s cryptic text in mind, Chris buries his doubt and settles on faded black skinny jeans that highlight his ass wonderfully; he pairs it with a short-sleeve light blue button down that highlights his eyes.

After Chris replies to Darren with a quick _okay_ and his address, Darren arrives twenty minutes later, looking far from the devilish creature of his nightmare. He’s clad in navy blue loafers and dark jeans that tightly hug his thighs, clearly drawing attention to the bulge of his fly where Chris most certainly does not stare. Instead he focuses upward on Darren’s red polo shirt, a color that contrasts nicely with his olive-toned skin. He holds out a bouquet of flowers and Chris notices that he’s wearing square black framed glasses that partially obscure his eyes. Chris wonders if that was an intentional choice so that the soulmate mythology wouldn’t cloud his judgment. In any case, he definitely approves.

“You--you clean up pretty well, Clark,” Chris remarks while Darren stands on his doorstep.

Darren licks his lips as his eyes travel up and down Chris’ frame. “I have to agree that you look great too. But you always look amazing.”

“Thanks.” Chris blushes. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too.” Darren smiles and holds the lavender colored roses out toward him. “These are for you. Purple is considered the color of royalty and the florist told me that these represent enchantment. I am thoroughly enchanted by you so far, so that’s why I chose them.”

“Thank you. They’re lovely. I’ll go find some water for these before we go.”

Chris takes the flowers and turns toward the hallway but Darren stops him by clutching his wrist and leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth. When Chris sucks in a breath, Darren uses the opportunity to fully capture his lips. Darren’s lips are softer than he remembers and Chris realizes that he tastes vaguely of mint.

“Sorry. Just had to do that,” Darren says softly against his lips when they part.

“It’s--it’s fine. You don’t need to apologize.”

“Good, ‘cause I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve kind of missed you too,” he answers without thinking, all his fears falling by the wayside for the moment as the taste lingers in his mouth.

“Only kind of?” Darren quirks an eyebrow. “But I bought you flowers. And I have a ton of cool plans for this date.”

Chris laughs before he turns around and heads toward the kitchen, looking for a vase. “Well, come in and do tell. Then I’ll decide whether or not I actually missed you. It’s been less than a week, Darren.”

Footsteps sound behind him, evidence that Darren is following him. 

“I don’t care. You’re my soulmate. I--I already feel a lot for you,” Darren admits sincerely.

Chris pulls a tall, cylindrical glass out from the cabinet and rests it on the kitchen counter, thinking for a moment. It’s only the second date with the man he’s supposed to be with forever and he’s already confessing his feelings, a major change from every other relationship that Chris has had. Typically he doesn’t even make it to the second date, content enough to leave his one-night stand behind or to forget about the failed small talk whenever he attempted something beyond the physical. But here Darren is, offering up a piece of his heart already. Chris might just take it but he’s still a little wary. This is going far too well.

“You--You’re enchanted by me,” Chris reminds himself aloud.

“Yeah. Sounds like a line but I fucking swear I am, Chris.”

Chris scoffs and spins to face Darren, who’s standing less than a foot away. “And you think I’m royalty.”

“No, I am because you thought I was Prince Charming or something when you first saw me, right?” He adjusts his glasses though they weren’t askew and looks down bashfully.

Chris sets the flowers in the glass and his heart jumps in his chest at how Darren remembers that small detail from their last encounter, albeit with a selfish twist.

“Not quite but that’s cute. I’ll give you points for cleverness,” Chris retorts instead of kissing that adorable grin off Darren’s face.

“Ten points for Gryffindor! Yes!” Darren exclaims with a fist pump.

“Who says you’re Gryffindor?”

Darren lowers his glasses and raises one thick eyebrow. “You dare to challenge Harry Potter?”

“You were never Harry Potter, Darren.”

“In my head I was. That’s what counts.” He puts his glasses back in place and straightens his back as if he’s preening.

“Sure, bring that up again.”

“Why must you wound me like this?” Darren asks mockingly, pressing his palm against his chest. “I know I’ll never be Daniel Radcliffe but thanks for reminding me, Chris.”

“Hey, what are soulmates for if not for crushing your soul?” Chris jokes before grabbing scissors from the knife block on the counter so he can prune the flowers. Then he puts them back and turns the faucet on to fill the makeshift vase with water.

Darren trails behind him, casually touching his forearm once Chris shuts off the faucet. “You wanted me to be Harry, remember? It got you to kiss me.”

Chris gulps, leaving the bouquet behind in the sink. “I--You kissed me first that time.”

Darren’s eyes flicker down to Chris’ lips. “I couldn’t help it. You’re very kissable when you talk nerdy. Actually you’re pretty kissable all the time.”

“If you think I’m going to fall for that--” he starts but Darren interrupts him, his other hand finding Chris’ hip and his mouth connecting with Chris’ once again. Chris stills in shock and then quickly returns it, both hands curving around Darren’s tiny waist like they were made to fit there. Darren’s hand that was on Chris’ arm slides down until their hands are intertwined, spreading a warmth that settles throughout Chris’ body. It doesn’t feel urgent like he needs to take it further than this, not that he would be opposed if it did go somewhere. 

However, this is only their second date and if they’re really soulmates, they have so much time. So he reluctantly pulls away, Darren chasing his mouth. 

“I know I’m falling,” Darren whispers, their fingers still tangled together. “Looks like this date is off to a good start.”

“We didn’t do anything yet.”

“Ahh, I beg to differ. Kissing, flowers, Harry Potter. Sounds like plenty of magical stuff.”

Chris resists the urge to roll his eyes.

“Anyway, put your flowers some place pretty,” Darren tells him. “I’m taking you out for our first date take two.”

“Wouldn’t that be a second date?”

“Well, yeah but usually I meet someone, ask them out and then boom. Date. That involves preparation and shit, not hanging out for pizza in my sweats and helping feed their cat. You get the real first date with Darren experience this time. Hence, first date take two.”

Chris slips his hand out of Darren’s and picks up the vase, setting it on his kitchen island. 

“Ugh, Darren, you’re ridiculous.”

“You won’t be saying that later.”

“We’ll see about that. Where are you taking me?”

“Will you relax and let me drive? I got this.”

Chris’ curiosity about where they’re going outweighs his fear of giving up this small amount of control to Darren so for now, he trusts him and hopes it doesn’t backfire.

“Alright. Fine.” Chris acquiesces. “As long as you don’t answer any more of my questions with a question.”

“No promises, sweetheart. C’mon let’s go.”

Chris lets Darren lead him out the door but not before he locks it and makes sure Brian is safely inside. The last thing he needs is to worry about is his cat when he’s supposed to be enjoying this date. 

He takes a deep breath as Darren opens the passenger door of his car and steels himself for whatever surprise Darren might have in store. He doesn’t enjoy most surprises for the same reason he doesn’t enjoy the idea of soulmates; he likes having the ability to choose what he wants for himself. He likes staying home to write in his own fictional world when he could be out with his friends. He likes having dinner parties where he can control the menu. He likes the freedom of designing the layout of his living room and picking where the end tables go. Between facing the inevitable physical and emotional injuries of high school and whether or not Hannah would make it through the day without a trip to the hospital, his life growing up had seen enough unpredictability. Maybe soulmates are supposed to balance all that out and provide certainty, but the wild card of getting stuck with a near stranger rattles all the consistencies that Chris has provided for himself as an adult.

Still, he watches Darren drive out of the safety of his neighborhood and listens to him tapping against the steering wheel as he sings along with some pop song on the radio.

_“...The way you turn me on. I can’t sleep. Let’s run away and don’t ever look back. Don’t ever look back.”_

The smooth falsetto of Darren’s voice breaks through Chris’ thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He looks over, transfixed by the pleasant tone.

_“Take a chance and don’t ever look back. Don’t ever look back,”_ Darren continues to sing, glancing over when he catches Chris staring. “What? What’s up? The song is kind of a hint as to where we’re going if that’s what you’re wondering about.”

“No, um, no. I mean, yeah, I do want to know but that’s not--Never mind. How is that song a hint? We’re already in California and you’ve already been in my dreams.”

“I don’t get your heart racing, Chris?”

“Yeah, with your horrible singing,” he teases.

Darren frowns as he turns around a corner. “Why do you hurt me so much? You’re a terrible human being. I’m keeping you in suspense just for that.” 

“Wait, I take it back. You’re a decent singer.” 

“Decent, eh? I’ll take it. I’m nothing special but I like to think I’ve earned my regular gig playing music for people. I’ll prove it to you.”

“Oh my God, are you going to serenade me?”

“I could but you sound fucking terrified at the prospect. How do you know I won’t do it one day?”

“Why? Have you dreamt it or something?”

“Maybe.” Darren’s eyes dart over to Chris before he stops at the traffic light. “Maybe you’ll like it.”

Then Chris realizes that perhaps they don’t have the same dreams all the time. He wonders what Darren has seen of their future and how different it might be from Chris’ visions. Does he share the same fear that the universe has gone awry and that Chris will hurt him someday? Chris blanches, not betraying his musings or the secret that he actually likes Darren’s voice. 

“I suppose I might not hate getting the chance to hear you properly one day, Dare,” Chris finally answers.

“Sweet! You know, I might have my guitar in the back seat.” Darren winks as they start up again and drive a little further down the road.

“Not today.”

After Darren pulls into a lot near their destination, he parks into a space and settles his gaze on Chris. “Man, you’re not making this wooing very easy.”

“And yet somehow, we’re going to be together. Obviously you’re doing something right.”

“Well, duh.” Darren smirks. “We made out in your kitchen enough times.”

Chris chuckles. “Can you just tell me where we’re going already?”

Darren looks around, pointing to a large walkway outside, full of people heading toward a beach. “This doesn’t look familiar to you at all?”

“The beach? Seriously? I don’t really go outside that much. I’m a writer.”

“This is a good place to observe people. Don’t knock it until you try it. I’ve had some cool writing breakthroughs here myself. Besides, how can you not go outside? We have some of the most beautiful weather in the world. You should take advantage of it.”

“Something tells me I’ll be doing it right now.”

“Mhmm. If you don’t like it, we can do something else but this isn’t the only part of my plan.”

“Okay. Good.” 

“So what are we waiting for? Let’s do it.”

With that, Darren opens his car door and races around the front to open Chris’ door once more. Darren pulls him out and they walk down the sidewalk, the sounds of bongo drums, skateboard wheels and excited chatter hitting his ears. Now Chris figures out where they are, an area popular for tourists and local street artists alike.

“You’re taking me to Venice Beach? This is your big plan?” Chris asks shockingly.

“Like I said, it’s not the only part of my plan.” Darren slips his hand into Chris’. “But yeah. It’s kind of perfect that you’ve never been actually. I can show you around.” His eyes light up with excitement and Chris can feel that spark again. So much for Darren’s glasses obscuring their connection.

“Alright. I’ll give it a shot,” Chris finds himself saying. 

“Great. That’s all I’m asking for.” 

Their stroll down the boardwalk is definitely an adventure. Chris marvels at the guy who breathes fire and the lady covered entirely in body paint who belly dances to a boom box blaring with music that sounds like it’s from a Bollywood movie. There are also carts selling tacos, ice cream, and various typical street fare. The artisans and their wares dotting the streets are unique as well, with tiny bottles of sand that spell names from the grain, clothing with all-natural dyes and designer psychedelic yo-yos with crazy patterns that make Chris’ head spin. They pass yet another street performer, a middle-aged dark-skinned man with dreadlocks who greets Darren by name and has a violin perched on shoulder.

“How often do you come here?” Chris wonders.

“Come here?” The man exclaims. “I’ve seen him busking here like the rest of us.”

“Really?” Chris glances over at Darren, who blushes.

“Yeah, not every day. A couple of times a month. I’m not cool enough to make a lot here though, not as cool as Nate here. I don’t know why I keep coming back.” Darren shrugs.

“Don’t listen to him. He’s good, better than the chick who takes his spot when he’s not here. She’s a yodeler,” Nate informs Chris. “To each their own, I guess.” 

“He’s been telling me he can play and I got a preview of the singing on the way here. I haven’t seen him do it properly yet though so I can’t really say,” Chris comments.

“I’m just a guy with a guitar, Chris, as you know. Yodeling sounds way more awesome, to be honest,” Darren admits humbly.

“Oh, shut up, Darren.” Chris chides in his direction. “I’m sure you’re much better than you let on. I bet you get enough tips to keep coming back. You’re very charming.”

Darren’s eyes shine playfully. “Oh, so now you admit it? In front of someone else, no less.”

Chris’ face flushes as he looks at Nate and then looks away wordlessly.

“Wait, Darren, is he--? Is this the guy? The dream guy?” Nate questions.

Chris focuses on Darren, who nods. 

“Yup. The one and only,” Darren answers proudly, squeezing Chris’ hand.

Chris blinks and sees a flash of Darren and himself, standing in front of an older couple, a short woman with tanned skin and Darren’s smile, along with a taller fair skinned man who’s beaming with pride. Then he blinks back to reality and the bright California sun with Nate standing in the phantom couple’s place. Chris’ head spins, Darren’s grip still firm on his hand.

“You alright?” Darren’s voice pierces his senses.

“Yeah, um, yeah. I just--I think I need to sit down,” Chris tells him.

“I’ll let you two go then,” Nate says. “Great to see you again, Dare. Nice to meet you, Chris.”

“You too,” Chris vaguely replies, still a little off balance. “See you later.”

Darren hands a few bills to his friend and bids him farewell before addressing Chris. “You sure you’re okay? Did you see something?”

He takes a few steps, heading down the boardwalk. “I--I don’t know but yeah, I think I did. Guess I don’t have to worry about your family accepting me if I meet them. Unless I’m wrong and you just like introducing me to random old people.”

“Maybe I do.” Darren laughs. “My parents are pretty cool if that’s who you saw. Don’t even worry about it.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure it was. Just thinking about meeting your parents is kind of daunting when we barely know each other right now. That’s all.”

“I get it. But if your dreams are anything like mine, you’ve seen much more shocking stuff than that,” Darren muses as they continue walking back to the car. “We talked a little about that last time if I’m not mistaken.”

“True. We have, during some more, um, intimate moments.”

“Besides those, they’re all good dreams, right?”

Chris thinks back to the red-eyed Darren of his subconscious and goes silent.

“Chris?”

He shoves away the thought of demon Darren and looks at the man present before him, nothing but hazel eyes and a concerned expression without a trace of malice. Chris eases a bit, hoping he can trust what has happened with Darren so far as the truth and not one strange dream that plays on his doubts.

“Show me your other plans, Darren,” he finally insists.

“Um, alright, if you’re still okay with all this.”

“I’m trying to be.”

“Well, how about a slight change then? Maybe we can save some stuff for another day.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

***

Once they’re back in the car, Darren drives out of the parking lot in the direction opposite Chris’ house, toward the coast.

“Are we going to another beach?” Chris grimaces as they head onto the highway.

“Maybe but I swear you’ll like this more than Venice. It’s not very touristy. Besides, we haven’t eaten yet. We can have a picnic.”

“You packed a lunch for us?” 

“No but there’s this little stand that I always go to when I’m there. We can eat and relax. It’ll be nice. Maybe I’ll bust out the guitar if you’ve changed your mind about it,” he casually mentions while shifting lanes.

“Now that I’ve heard such a rave review, I suppose I have. You didn’t pay him off for that, did you?” Chris teases, his worries about Darren dissipating even more.

“I didn’t but I would have if I knew it’d have this effect. It’d be worth the loss of a day’s tips.” Darren laughs, his eyes on the road.

“Since you don’t have to worry about that now, how about you treat me to food? I mean, I paid for our glamorous dinner and breakfast last time,” Chris points out.

“Oh, right, the pizza and waffles that I picked out and you splurged on.”

“You’re damn right. I’m not letting you freeload off me and my writer’s salary. I already have an extra mouth to feed at home. It sometimes feels like two actually with the way that Brian eats.”

Darren just chuckles again as they keep driving. Then they fall into a comfortable silence. Chris stares out the window, the miles of pavement passing by until Darren’s hand ghosts over his where it sits between the seats. Chris lets him take hold and he doesn’t see any bad omens; he only feels warmth flooding his body instead. Though Chris is still figuring Darren out, he has to be the one if he can calm him down this easily. Thus, he’s going to enjoy the rest of this date and his time with Darren regardless of his pessimistic dreams.

Darren drives on, reaching the exit ramp and slipping out of Chris’ grasp so he can wind through several streets. Then he parks in front of a picturesque nearly deserted shoreline. The sand is nearly white and dotted with a few beachgoers, leading to crystal blue water stretching out onto the horizon and meeting the sunny sky. They both take a moment to appreciate the sight before they get out, Darren grabbing his guitar and a blanket from the back seat. 

They stop by the roadside stand for tacos and drinks as Darren promised, leaving his guitar strapped to his back as he balances the items in his arms. He hands the food and cans of soda to Chris and then lays the blanket down in a secluded spot, the nearest people miles away. After Chris settles on the blanket, Darren joins him, laying his guitar off to the side, partially to ground the blanket. They share bites of each other’s food and private grins as the sun begins to set, enjoying the atmosphere and each other’s company. 

Darren finally strums a simple recognizable melody on his guitar once they finish.

_“Here comes the sun, do do doo, here comes the sun and I say it’s alright,”_ Darren sings with a smile and Chris can’t help rolling his eyes fondly.

He sings on and Chris listens intently to the ironic choice. Darren’s voice is smooth and cuts through the atmosphere so wonderfully that he smiles too. Darren focuses on him and his heart feels close to bursting with a kind of love that he’s never had for anyone else. Despite the red, orange and yellow hues cutting through the sky with the sun peeking below the water, maybe the sun really has arrived in the form of this sweet man who’s going to be with him the rest of his life. Maybe the universe didn’t screw this up after all.

When Darren stops singing and sets his guitar back in its place, he notices Darren’s bright and full eyes reflect a lovely golden shade in the sky, paralyzing Chris in his spot with their beauty. That is until Darren cups his cheek, shaking him out of his trance.

“Chris,” Darren whispers huskily, glancing down at his lips.

Chris takes the hint, leaning in to kiss him softly at first, Darren’s other hand finding the outside of his thigh while Chris grips Darren’s waist. With that, Darren deepens the kiss, dipping his tongue into Chris’ mouth. Chris burns with want, his hands slipping under Darren’s shirt to get at the bare skin of his stomach. The hand on Chris’ cheek slides down his neck, stroking the front of his shirt until Darren finally stops, teasing his hip bone with his thumb. Chris parts from him for a second to take a breath, moaning as Darren’s lips trail along his jaw.

“Oh, oh my God.” Chris groans and suddenly he’s flat on his back, feeling the rough bumpy sand against him through the thin barrier of the blanket. Darren presses him down with his weight, his body stirring with arousal as he explores the sensitive spots along his neck. Then Chris’ hands skate across the small of Darren’s back so he grinds down and it all feels so right until Darren squeezes his sides. 

A vision of Darren with black eyes and an evil smile flashes in front of him. Chris freezes for a moment, his breath caught in his chest as panic courses through him. This second dream can’t be a coincidence. The universe got this wrong and he’s being warned that Darren is going to harm him. Now that Chris met him, whatever higher power or phenomenon that causes this must be righting it by giving him these visions before he goes too far. He needs to escape. He needs to run. So he pushes Darren off of him, knocking him on his ass.

“What the hell, Chris?” Darren exclaims. “What’s going on?”

“I--I can’t do this. Take me home.”

“Okay. I’m sorry,” Darren apologizes. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. I never asked how you felt about PDA or whatever and we’re still kind of in public. That’s totally my fault. I--”

“Just shut up and take me home. Please. Now,” Chris begs.

“Will you tell me what’s happening? Is it another dream? We can talk about it. We’ll get through it together.” 

Darren reaches for Chris but Chris snatches his hand away as if he’s been burned. He can’t shake the feeling that he’ll see something even more disturbing if he touches him again.

“I don’t--I can’t--” Chris starts. “I want to go home.”

“Whatever you’ve seen is just a trick, Chris. It’s not real. I’m right here with you and I haven’t hurt you. All I want to do is be with you. You have to believe that,” Darren insists.

“And you have to believe that I’m not feeling good right now and I need to think.”

“What’s there to think about? You’re my soulmate and I--”

“Don’t you dare say whatever it is that you’re about to say. If you understand me or know anything about me, you know that I need to process what just happened by myself.”

“But if we talk it out, if you let me in--”

“Take me home or I’m walking home.” Chris gets up and walks up the beach, grabbing their abandoned trash from earlier.

“Wait! I won’t push you any further. I’ll bring you home. I want to make sure you’re safe,” Darren tells him, hurriedly gathering up his guitar and blanket so he can follow Chris.

Chris runs to a trash bin near the parking lot and throws away their empty food containers. “That much I believe for now at least.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I or is this whole soulmate thing a lie we’re telling ourselves? Will we cause each other emotional damage for the sake of not being lonely?”

“Maybe. Maybe we will hurt each other regardless of whether or not we’re soulmates. But I saw it in your eyes when we met. You felt something. You’ve seen shit that isn’t just the nightmare you’re telling yourself now. You’ll get out of this and you’ll realize that we belong together. But I guess I’ll have to fucking wait for that and drive you home.”

“I’m sorry that I’m not all sunshine and roses. It’s hard for me to believe in this stuff,” Chris says honestly as he heads back to Darren’s car.

Darren races to catch up and tosses his stuff in the back seat of his car. “You could have been clearer about that from the beginning when I asked and we could have worked on that.”

“I can’t suddenly change my beliefs, Darren.”

“I know but we could compromise like in any normal relationship.”

“But this isn’t normal.” Chris opens the passenger side door and gets inside, shutting himself in with a slam.

Darren climbs into the driver’s side with equal fervor. “Maybe it isn’t, Chris, but do you really want normal? I know I don’t.”

Chris glances over at Darren but doesn’t answer him. Instead he asks, “Can we just go?”

Darren sighs, pulling out of the parking space and heading back out onto the road. The car ride is uncharacteristically silent save for Darren tapping on the wheel occasionally and snapping at a couple of drivers who cut him off on the highway, further cementing the suggestion of Chris’ dreams. Chris thinks maybe he would have been better off taking a taxi or asking someone to pick him up.

Once they’re close to an exit that Chris recognizes as the one nearest to his house, Darren surprisingly speaks up. “I understand that this concept is a lot to handle for you. I’m scared too, Chris, but I’m going to give you time to process it a little more. I’m willing to wait for you as long as you need. Please remember all the good stuff and not the bad stuff because I think we had a pretty good date going before whatever it was that happened in your head. My head is not always a fun place either, y’know.” Darren looks down at Chris’ hand for a second after he reaches the exit ramp but he doesn’t reach out this time. “Anyway, I really care about you and I’m gonna shut up and let you respond to that.”

“Thank you. I, um, I appreciate that more than you know and I want--I want you to know that I did have a good time before all that. I just can’t explain what’s happening and I need to think, okay?”

Chris tells Darren where to turn to get to his house and Darren follows his directions.

“Okay.” Darren says as they arrive at Chris’ place. “Like I said, I’ll let you do that and I’ll try not to be an annoying little shit during the interim.”

“Good.” Chris swallows, trying not to chuckle. “Thanks for the flowers, by the way.”

“My pleasure.” Darren gives him a tight half smile that doesn’t meet his eyes, which look duller somehow. “Do you want me to walk you to your door?”

Chris’ heart skips in his chest at the notion until he remembers his dreams; he isn’t sure which one to trust so he goes with the latter and shakes his head. “I, um, I’ll be alright.”

“Sure,” Darren replies calmly but he can see his shoulders slump a bit. “Call me later or something, okay?”

“Yeah, alright. I will,” Chris answers vaguely, not knowing when that might happen.

“‘Kay. Cool.” Darren’s eyes dart across his face before he stretches across the console to kiss Chris’ cheek. 

Chris doesn’t have any visions this time. There’s nothing sinister lurking but also nothing hopeful either, no hint as to what he should do. Maybe he should find that comforting but all it does is leave him confused and uneasy as Darren pulls away from him.

“Bye, Darren,” Chris says hollowly. 

“See ya later.”

With that, Chris gets out of his car and heads back to his door, a strange sense of emptiness running through him as he enters and smells the fragrant roses that fill up the entire first floor. It’s almost like Darren is still here despite Chris pushing him away. 

He doesn’t know what to think or how to feel so he just goes upstairs to his room and lies in bed, the vacant spot next to him a reminder of his first date with Darren. Then his dreams weren’t frightening. He had listened to his body’s positive reaction to kissing, touching, and cuddling with Darren. Although somehow he had let evil creep into his subconscious and all the good things had suddenly disappeared. If he ignored the nightmares, then Darren would be here now. But for how long? Would Darren destroy his heart? Are his positive visions of the future still valid or only the negative ones? Or could it be both?

He decides to head back downstairs and save those thoughts for another day, drowning them out with a couple of glasses of wine until he passes out on the couch.

Maybe now that Darren is gone, the visions will be too.

***

Except they aren’t. This time, Chris lays on the couch while Darren stands above him, offering him a hand and a gentle smile. His eyes are bright and hopeful, so Chris grabs onto him and stands with him. Then they dance although there isn’t any music playing, only Darren humming into his ear, _“I say it’s alright,”_ echoing the song that he sang at the beach.

When he wakes up, he doesn’t feel fear like in the visions where Darren’s eyes changed color but rather comfort. He wonders if he made a mistake in pushing Darren away but it still isn’t enough to combat his doubts. That is until the dream of dancing with Darren recurs for the next several nights; however the setting keeps changing. Instead of his living room, the next dream takes place on the beach where their date ended, the one after that happens in the grocery store where they met, and the third one is in Chris’ bedroom.

On the third night, Chris jolts awake, haunted but in a different way than when he had his nightmares. He debates whether or not the universe or his brain has been telling him to trust Darren’s actions of love and kindness so far and not his own haunting dreams. Darren has done nothing but listen to him and offer his own heart so easily while Chris has been less forthcoming. Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe he just needs to get over his own reservations about soulmates and give in to what he knows is true: Darren wants to love him not only because of the future they might share, but because he likes what he sees in front of him. Chris feels the same way; still, he dreads having another more terrifying nightmare if he stays with Darren.

He absently ponders if any research on a situation like his exists so he gets up and turns to the Internet for clues. He searches soulmates, which only gives him tales of perfect romances, a far too broad subject not at all fitting of what he wants to find. He tries again, this time looking for soulmates, dreams, nightmares and eyes. It’s a little more helpful. 

There’s an article about one’s state of mind when they meet their supposed soulmate titled “Stress and the Soulmate: The Psychology of Finding and Keeping a Happy Relationship.” It looks professional and academic and it’s from a source he trusts so he clicks it. Chris had briefly been to therapy during his troubled school years, and recognizes this piece as a kind of self-help resource explaining that one’s state of mind when they find their supposed soulmate influences their interactions with them. If the individual has had healthy attachments throughout their life and treats their soulmate with respect, their relationship is bound to last and their dreams will reflect a positive outcome. If the individual has stress and is distrustful of their soulmate, they may find that they have some difficulty connecting and maintaining their relationship. This may affect one’s dreams as well, causing the soulmate’s eyes to seem demonic.

Chris thinks about any stress he may have had and when he experienced the dreams. His eyes scan over his computer screen to find an open text document of his latest project that he’s been lax in making progress on. He’s been under a deadline writing his book and debating what new characters he should add. Although every time he sits down to type, his mind goes blank or strays to Darren. Meanwhile, his agent calls or texts every day to pressure him about it. He thought Darren had been one of his characters at first, so maybe he’s resenting the lack of creative breakthrough he’s had since they’ve met. This would explain the visions of Darren as a villain blocking him from the only goal he’s cared about in his life before Darren: publishing his next book and furthering his career.

No other person has ever distracted from that goal until now. Sure, he’s had friendship and intimate companionship but he never felt a strong pull to know someone the way he has with Darren. He likes him for more than just a hit and run rendezvous that will burn out. He wants it to last, even if his dreams and the lack of serious relationship experience are telling him that it won’t. But maybe if he trusts Darren and works at it like anything, it will work out. 

Fate, the universe or some other cosmic power brought him to Darren but that’s not what’s going to make him stay. He’s going to believe in a more positive outcome for this relationship. He’s going to choose Darren for himself regardless of his stress-induced dreams. After all, Darren is his soulmate, not to mention he has a killer smile that makes Chris’ knees weak.

Hopefully it isn’t too late to let him know that.

He checks the time on his computer and notices that it’s 1:30 in the morning. Still he picks up his phone and texts Darren. He only waits about ten minutes until he gets a reply.

_What’s up, Chris?_

_Can I come over? Will you still have me?_ Chris texts back.

_Of course. Always._

Chris’ heart nearly beats out of his chest with the swell of affection he feels for Darren. Then another text comes in from him.

_I told you I’d wait for you. I meant it._

Chris grabs his keys and heads for the door, eager for the rest of his life to start now that he knows that Darren will be in it. However, as soon as he starts the car, he smacks his forehead, realizing that he doesn’t know Darren’s address. He fires off a quick text and Darren asks if he should meet him at his place instead. Chris insists that he’ll go there; he thinks he’s the one who screwed this up and he needs to fix it. Besides, he reasons to Darren, he has to see his place some time.

Darren responds with, _Okay :)_ and he gives Chris his information, but Chris doesn’t answer him. He can do that in person soon enough.

***

The ride across the city takes longer than he anticipated, allowing him to mentally rehearse all the possible outcomes for his conversation with Darren. If it crashes down around him, at least he tried all he could; however, given Darren’s reaction to him, it will probably turn out fine. Either way, he steels himself for the worst as he parks his car on the street in front of Darren’s house. He makes out several cars in the driveway and a small yard leading up to a tan stucco two story structure. But all the other details disappear in the pitch black night as he races to the door and knocks on it.

A few moments later, the door flies open to reveal Darren on the other side. His eyes, no longer covered by glasses, seem a little dimmer but his face lights up with a grin.

“Chris, I--I’m glad you could make it. Whatever happened before, I shouldn’t have pushed you. I’m so sorry. I--”

Chris clears his throat. “Hello to you, too. Can I come in first before you apologize profusely for no reason?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Darren reaches out and wraps his arms around Chris’ middle in a tight embrace. “You know, I wasn’t expecting you to ever come back with the way you freaked out. I hoped but--Anyway, I guess you’re ready to talk?”

“Yeah, I--I’ll tell you everything.”

“Good.” Darren pulls away and brings him inside before shutting the door. “Let’s sit. We can hang out in the living room since the roommates are out for the night. I wasn’t really up to going with them.”

Chris’ heart pangs at the thought that he may have been the cause of Darren missing out on having fun. But at least he’s here now, trying to mend everything. Darren holds his hand and drags him over to a worn-looking brown couch in the middle of the room. He doesn’t see any visions yet and he’s not sure if that means he made the right decision in accepting Darren into his life. However he won’t stray from what his heart wants, so they sit down and Chris explains what happened on their date and beforehand.

“I saw something in my dreams and frankly I was terrified. Then I saw it again when you touched me and I thought--I thought it meant that I was wrong and I shouldn’t have trusted you at all. I should have stayed far away. I never should have met you and let you into my life even if it was meant to happen.”

Darren frowns, his hand still tight around Chris’. “What did you see?”

“Your eyes were dark and you felt cold. You were like the devil or something.”

“Wow. Sounds fucking insane.”

“It was.” A shiver runs through Chris at the memory but the words keep tumbling out of his mouth unbidden. “The second time on the beach, I--I just lost it. My body and my heart wanted you so much but my head told me that you might not be good for me. Anyway it turns out that stress and doubts can get in the way of being with someone, even if they are your soulmate.”

“And I’m your soulmate, right?”

Chris nods. “But that’s not the only reason I’m here. I want to be with you no matter what the future holds. Maybe we’re going to have bad times in addition to the good times I’ve seen. But I want to be yours and I want you to be mine anyway.”

“I’m already yours, Chris,” Darren admits honestly, his free hand cupping Chris’ cheek. “So you’re going to trust me now?”

“I’m working on it. There are reasons for that. There’s so much you don’t know about me yet.”

“You don’t know everything about me either. Let’s just figure it out as we go and not put too much stock into your visions unless you feel they’re important. Like when you’re having issues, you’ll tell me and I’ll do the same.”

“Sounds fair but do you trust the initial dreams that led me to you?”

“You bet your cute ass I do. It’s how we met and I wouldn’t change that for any fucking thing. I liked you from the moment I saw you, including in my dreams, and I’ve never stopped. As much as I’ve seen, I want to keep learning about you and I’m glad you still want me in your life.” 

When Darren rubs his thumb along the web of Chris’ hand between his pointer finger and thumb, that familiar warmth builds in him again.

“Of course I do,” Chris reaffirms. “I let the mythology screw with my head a little. I can’t say that won’t happen again but I’ll try the best I can not to overthink it.”

“Something tells me you do that a lot.” Darren smiles brightly.

“Maybe. What gave you that idea?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” 

“I would. I want to keep learning about you too. I guess you could say that I’m curious. It’s the writer in me.”

“Oh, is that it?” Darren wonders, edging closer to him. “It’s not my charm, my good looks, or my awesome guitar playing?”

Chris smirks, the outside of their thighs touching. “Hmm, those things don’t hurt actually.”

Darren leans in and licks his lips. “How about the kissing?”

“Kissing helps too.” Chris swallows, his eyes flickering to Darren’s waiting mouth. “You’re not bad in that area. I think I need more research to be sure.”

“I’d be willing to help out with that. Y’know, for research and all.” The hand that’s holding Chris’ breaks free to frame Chris’ other cheek.

“Glad you could, um, take one for the team.”

“For science.” Darren chuckles.

Chris takes a harsh breath in as their lips finally meet. Darren tastes almost like Chris remembers from a few days ago except there’s a smoky undertone that Chris vaguely recognizes as bourbon or whiskey. He wonders if Darren had been eager to forget him after Chris had hurt him without any real cause. Maybe he lamented the loss of his soulmate, not knowing what had gone wrong or why. Chris had locked him out from the opportunity but he wouldn’t do that anymore; he vows to let Darren in from now on. First he would show that by deepening the kiss and gripping Darren’s tiny waist.

Darren seems to understand because he responds in kind, slipping his tongue into Chris’ mouth with fervor, the warmth in Chris’ body lighting to arousal. Darren’s hands slide down his chest, searching until one of them stops at his heartbeat. Chris’ pulse quickens under the touch as Darren’s lips drag across his jaw and down his neck.

“Yeah, yes. That’s--Yeah, right there,” he murmurs when Darren finds the scar near his collarbone, a particularly sensitive spot. Chris throws his head back, granting him even better access. Chris’ hands skim across the small of Darren’s back, pushing him even closer. He reaches under the hem of Darren’s shirt, finally getting at bare skin.

Darren’s hands fall to Chris’ hips as he continues sucking at his neck. He knocks one of Chris’ knees with his own, urging him to open up. Chris obliges, inching his thighs apart. Before he can even think, Chris is flat on his back with Darren above him once more. Darren pulls back to look at him with concerned eyes.

“You okay?” Darren breathes out, his thumbs stroking Chris’ hips. “Have you seen anything?”

“No, I’m good,” Chris reassures him. “Keep going.”

Darren grins and pushes Chris’ shirt up a little. “Good. Maybe we can finish what we started on the beach the other day?”

“I’d like that.”

“Awesome.” 

Darren returns to kissing him on the mouth, every inch of their bodies pressing together deliciously. But Chris wants more so, he glides his hands up Darren’s back and digs his fingers into Darren’s shoulder blades. Darren grinds against him in response, his half-hard cock brushing Chris’ own. Chris bites down on Darren’s lower lip, enough to make Darren cry out once they break away.

Darren curses and lets out a chuckle. “You weren’t kidding about not being gentle.”

“Is that--Is that okay?” Chris worries, his eyebrows pulling together.

“Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting it. That’s all. Now let’s get back to business.”

Darren goes to suck at his neck, his body weighing over Chris’ own, which feels good, except for how the lumpy couch digs into his spine.

“Ugh.” Chris hisses out. “Fuck.”

“What?” Darren questions against his skin.

“You need a new couch. It’s killing my back. Ahh, ahh,” he groans as Darren licks at his neck.

“Sorry, babe. We can take this somewhere else if you want.”

“Yes, please.” Chris nods. 

When Darren pulls back, his mouth forms a small o shape. “Oh, okay. Yeah.”

“Hopefully your bed is better.”

Darren smirks. “It’s not as good as yours but there’s definitely more privacy than out here. It’ll have to do. C’mon.”

Darren takes his hand, leading him down the hallway until they reach the end where Darren opens a door. Chris has enough time to notice that in one corner of the room is a bookcase with a record player on top of it along with a pile of records on the shelf underneath it. Below that lies a stack of papers and thin books that look like sheet music. Then on the very bottom are a bunch of novels including the Harry Potter series. Next to the bookcase there’s a guitar lovingly set in the corner and a keyboard on a stand. Other than that, two smaller shelves, respectively holding CDs and DVDs, are next to the bookcase and various film and band posters line the walls. From what he knows about Darren, the room suits him.

“Welcome to my humble little sanctuary,” Darren offers once they’re inside with the door shut. “It’s not much but I kind of like it.”

“I like it too.” Chris smiles. “It’s very you.”

“Thanks,” Darren replies as he drags him closer to his bed. “It is missing one thing though.”

“What?”

“You.”

With that, Darren has him pinned on the bed, a thrill rushing through him when he gazes back into those hazel eyes he knows almost as well as his own, ever since those dreams started. He wouldn’t mind staring into them for the rest of his life. For once, he’s not scared but rather excited by the prospect.

“Well, I’m here now,” Chris finally answers. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“As if you could.” Darren laughs, intertwining his fingers with Chris’ before briefly kissing him. 

“Oh, if I wanted to, I’d find a way.” Chris raises his eyebrows. “I’ve got skills.”

“Huh. How about you show me some, then?”

In an instant, Chris flips them over so he’s on top and Darren is underneath him. He takes the opportunity to kiss him hard on the mouth and explore the sharp cut of his jaw, the light stubble tickling Chris’ lips. Then he moves down Darren’s neck and over to his prominent Adam’s apple, scraping his teeth against it. He continues further to the other side of Darren’s neck as his fingers play with the hem of Darren’s shirt.

“How’s that for starters?” Chris asks playfully.

“That’s--That works,” Darren utters breathlessly. “Keep going.”

So he does, helping Darren out of his shirt. It hasn’t been that long since he’s seen Darren half naked but his breath still catches at the sight of all that olive skin, practically illuminating although it’s covered in coarse, dark hair. Chris unlinks one of his hands from one of Darren’s and lays his palm against Darren’s chest, observing the contrast in their skin tones and feeling Darren’s heartbeat under his fingers. This man, this _heart,_ is his and he plans to protect it.

Chris swallows, his eyes welling with so much love for Darren that he can’t possibly express it.

Darren’s free hand covers his own, bringing him back to reality. “What, Chris? What’s wrong? Did you see something?”

“No. Nothing’s wrong, I promise. I just--I already feel a lot for you.” He echoes Darren’s words from their date earlier.

“I understand,” he says solemnly.

Instead of adding any more, Darren kisses him soundly on the mouth, pulls their joined hands apart and moves his other hand so he can lift Chris’ shirt over his head. When Darren looks at him, he has the same awestruck expression that Chris must have been wearing just moments ago when he saw him without his shirt on. 

“You--fuck,” Darren whispers. “I am so fucking lucky.”

“Believe me, the feeling is mutual,” Chris agrees, their bare skin meeting as he leans in to kiss him again.

Darren’s hands dip below Chris’ waistband, his calloused fingertips ghosting along the top of Chris’ ass. Chris grinds his hips down instinctively into the touch, Darren’s erection straining against his own.

“Do you have, um, stuff?” Chris asks, blushing despite their position.

“Of course I do,” Darren tells him. “In the nightstand, m’dear.”

While reaching for the drawer, Chris rolls his eyes at the term of endearment even if it is sort of cute. “Thanks. How very prepared of you.”

“I do like to plan ahead and all.” He laughs before kissing the corner of Chris’ jaw.

Chris fumbles a little until he finds the necessary supplies and throws them onto the bed.

“Mmm, make me do all the work though.” Chris groans as Darren’s fingers slip a little lower.

“Hey, no one told you that you had to be on top, babe. In fact, wasn’t it the opposite in your dreams?” He wonders, his lips grazing Chris’ ear.

“Ahh, true. But, um, that can always be revisited later.”

Darren pulls him close, their bodies pressed flush together as he murmurs in Chris’ ear. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, um, me--me too,” Chris says, Darren’s lips tracing a familiar path down his neck.

Then Darren kisses the scar on Chris’ neck. “So will you let me take these off now?” He adds, his hands moving to the button of Chris’ jeans.

“Oh my God, yes.”

Darren peels the skinny jeans down Chris’ thighs along with his briefs in one go. Then Chris awkwardly attempts to slide them down the rest of his legs. He lifts up off of Darren in an effort to finish the job but Darren pulls him back down.

“No, come back. I just got you naked.” Darren frowns, his eyes bright and wide.

Chris raises an eyebrow at him. “You want me to have sex with my shoes on?”

Darren simply pouts some more.

“I’m not going to leave, obviously. You’re only delaying your own satisfaction,” Chris continues, ignoring his obnoxious yet still very kissable lips. “Unless that’s a thing for you. Is it?”

“Guess you’ll have to find out,” Darren teases before pecking him on the mouth. “But if you want to take your shoes off, I’ll wait either way.”

“Thank you.” 

Chris snatches his hand away and rolls to the side, careful to avoid the lube and condoms right next to where he sits. As he toes off his shoes and socks, he hears the sound of a zipper and rustling along with the bed creaking. Then he looks over where one of Darren’s hands grapples for the lube. He quickly pulls off his pants and underwear, leaving them in a pile on the floor next to his shoes and socks. He straddles Darren’s hips and can’t help staring downward, where his underwear and jeans are pushed just low enough to reveal his cock.

Chris swallows and studies him for a moment, slightly pink with a prominent vein on the underside, not as long as himself but definitely thicker with heavy balls and a thatch of dark hair at the base. He wonders how it would feel to have Darren buried inside him as he watches him squeeze some of the lube into his palm and stroke himself.

Darren moves over himself smoothly, his thumb flicking at the head that’s already dripping with precome. Darren grunts and curses out a low, “Fuck,” under his breath. He glances up, his hand stilling at the base.

“Shit, sorry,” he apologizes. “Couldn’t wait. Got a head start.”

“‘S fine.” Chris smirks and snatches the lube from Darren’s other hand. “Just don't leave me out of it.”

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.” Darren’s mouth quirks up in that trademark crooked grin. 

Chris’ heart flips at the sight and if he wasn’t already thinking about a future with Darren, he definitely would be now. But he focuses on the task at hand, putting some of the lube into his own palm and rubbing his hands together. Then he throws the bottle on the floor and wraps his fist around Darren, above Darren’s hand.

“How, uh, how do you want to do this?” Chris asks as they both work Darren over.

“This-- _ugh, fuck--_ is good but I--I wanna touch you too.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

Darren immediately moves his lubed hand to Chris’ dick, his thumb running along the underside roughly, causing Chris to groan and curse.

“Yeah, babe,” Darren encourages when Chris’ thumb slides down to Darren’s balls before reaching the base. “Feels so fucking good.”

Chris strokes harder as Darren does the same to him, mirroring Chris’ movements and nearly matching his speed. He keeps his eyes open, wanting to see Darren’s face when he gets there so he jerks him even quicker, using some of the precome as extra lube and paying careful attention to the thick vein on the underside. Darren cries out, his hand weakly jacking off Chris.

“It’s okay,” Chris says gently. “I got you.”

Then Darren’s hand clenches around Chris before it goes lax and he spills over Chris’ fist with a loud moan and a shout of Chris’ name. His beautiful eyes fall shut for a second but then they fly open; Chris freezes, a vision of Darren riding him flashes in front of him, those eyes a dark golden shade with a mild green tint to them. Oh, how he can’t wait for that to come true.

As Darren softens in his hand, he reaches the edge too, coming over Darren’s sheets and low on his stomach with a quiet curse. He exhales harshly and collapses on top of him. His hand slips off of Darren and he wipes it on the bed beside them. He lies there silently as Darren’s clean hand traces circles along the small of his back and then up and down his spine.

Chris’ eyes drift closed and soon after, Darren’s hand falls away from his cock and there’s a featherlight brush of lips to his temple.

“That was--Wow,” Darren exclaims.

“Yeah. It was pretty awesome if you’re at a loss for words.”

“I’ve kinda felt that way since I met you. Maybe even before that.”

Chris thinks back to the first few mysterious dreams he had of Darren, only a vague feeling of comfort and those eyes staring back at him. Confusion plagued him even after the details of his soulmate had been revealed but the feeling with all the positive dreams had remained the same: overwhelming warmth and affection unlike any that Chris had experienced before. Looking back, he can’t deny that Darren really is the one. Chris pulls back enough to gaze into Darren’s eyes and he has to repeat Darren’s sentiment. 

“I have, too,” Chris tells him earnestly, his hands curving around Darren’s hips.

Darren’s smile returns, his eyes shining. “I--I’m really glad you’re here.”

“So am I.” 

Chris kisses him again before sliding off of him and lying on his side, avoiding the mess and pushing the unused condoms off of the bed. Darren grabs tissues from the top of his nightstand and cleans his cock, his tummy and his hands; then after he cleans off Chris’ hands as well, he curls into Chris’ chest with a hum of contentment. 

Chris puts his arm around Darren’s shoulder and thinks out loud. “When you--Before, when you looked at me, did you see anything?”

“Mhmm. I was riding you. Was pretty hot,” Darren mumbles. “‘M totally down for it whenever you are. Not too soon though. Can’t move. Wanna stay here with you.”

“I’m not opposed to that.” Chris tightens his hold, pleased that they’re finally on the same wavelength again.

“But I do want to talk about something.”

“What?”

Darren lifts his head up, his eyes pleading but full of mirth. “When are we getting that dog?”


End file.
